When celebrities become creative directors

Often strange and always awkward, the new-fangled trend of allowing celebrities to 'direct' a bona fide conglomerate will forever be funny - even if it does make bugger all business sense. Paid a wad of cash and ushered in to be 'very hands on', it often leads to celebs protesting their love of a brand a little too much, making clear that it's down to an interest in business, and not the bag of money that's just been handed to them.

With the news that Will.I.Am is now partnering with Gucci to create the i.am+ smartband, here's a look at some other celebrities who have got into bed with unlikely companies.  

(Images: Rex/YouTube/Pepsi)

Celebrity

Will.I.Am

Brand

Intel

Reason for collaboration

The Black Eyed Peas singer makes music on a computer, and waited in line for the latest processor.

Highlights

Mr I.Am arriving to an Intel conference in a zip suit and shades. Comparing himself to Lewis Hamilton: "He drives around a track, he represents Mercedes ... I go around a track, it's called the internet. But people don't know I'm driving this." *Holds up Intel Core Processor*.

Celebrity

Jessica Alba

Brand

Microsoft

Reason for collaboration

Owns a phone.

Highlights

Soon after her exclusive tie-in with Windows Phone 8 was announced, Alba posted a tweet... sent from an iPhone, and is often papped with the Apple branded mobile, not her beloved Windows handset.

Celebrity

Lady Gaga

Brand

Polaroid

Reason for collaboration

Says Polaroid "is a lifestyle", and wants to bring back "the art" into commercial products.

Highlights

The video's awkward editing (and the interviewer's gushing praise of Lady Gaga's answers). The sad fact that Gaga's Polaroid glasses and instant camera were never actually released.

Celebrity

Alicia Keys

Brand

BlackBerry

Reason for collaboration

Keys is a self-confessed "extremely committed individual", and wants to work with "other superwomen who love BlackBerry".

Highlights

Having to awkwardly explain why she ditched her BlackBerry in favour of an iPhone, comparing the process to a relationship. "I started to notice some hotter, attractive, sexier phones at the gym", goes the analogy. It seems she noticed them again earlier this year - the relationship was ended (again) in January.

Celebrity

Swizz Beatz

Brand

Lotus

Reason for collaboration

Mr. Beatz wants to "Take it to the next level" , and "infiltrate the market... in a cool way".

Highlights

Obligatory staff photo ops with the staff, speeding round a racetrack in a Lotus and jetting off in a helicopter - because why not?

Celebrity

Beyonce

Brand

Pepsi

Reason for collaboration

"There isn't an artist more in the now than Beyonce." And because it's also 10 years since Crazy In Love.

Highlights

The behind-the-scenes video showing the shoot Choreographer Director unable to hide his bitterness that Bey hated his four ideas, and chose her own instead.

Celebrity

Victoria Beckham

Brand

Range Rover

Reason for collaboration

"Victoria, of course, has a very good understanding of luxury. She's owned a lot of Range Rovers".

Highlights

Mrs. Beckham referring to herself as a 'brand' throughout, and that her inspiration for the car came from looking at boats and planes.

Celebrity

Lindsay Lohan

Brand

Emanuel Ungaro

Reason for collaboration

When LiLo works on a film she helps pick her own wardrobe. "It all works together in a lot of ways", she says.

Highlights

Lohan contradictorily claiming that "women want to feel comfortable in what they're wearing", and also that "pain is beauty". Alas, the resulting collection was roundly panned, with Ungaro himself dubbing it "a disaster".

Celebrity

Marc Jacobs

Brand

Diet Coke

Reason for collaboration

On board for the 30th anniversary of the fizzy drink, Jacobs sees Diet Coke as "an iconic brand".

Highlights

Some natty polka dot bottles, along with Jacobs' Diet Coke Hunk advert appearance, where the girls don't realise they're not actually his type.

Celebrity

Usain Bolt

Brand

Nissan

Reason for collaboration

Usain Bolt can run fast. The Nissan GT-R can go fast.

Highlights

Bolt's job title: 'Director of Excitement'. The photographer's assertion that Bolt "looks fast just sitting in the blocks doing nothing" (we're not sure that's possible).