A new study suggests Jay Z's brand is suffering due to lack of authenticity

Jay Z's brand has had its hand in everything from music to fashion to sports, but according to research from celebrity branding expert Jeetendr Sehdev (via Business Insider), his brand might not be as influential as people think.

Back in July, Jay Z partnered with Samsung to release his latest album Magna Carta Holy Grail by giving away one million copies to the first Samsung mobile users to download a free app. This deal earned him $5 million in sales and helped his album to go platinum the moment it was released.

But did this deal and other recent business endeavors actually harm Jay Z's image rather than boost it? Sehdev's research found that Jay Z's Samsung partnership was the second least popular celebrity marketing deal this year among millennials (aged 13-31) after Justin Biebers partnership with OPI.

The 1,000 millennials surveyed said that among the 80 celebrities mentioned, Jay Z was actually one of the people least influential people to their purchase decisions. The list included personalities spanning from Tom Brady to Hillary Clinton.

This isn't to say that the rapper isn't popular with Americans of all ages, but his brand is missing a concept that is crucial to purchase persuasion — authenticity.

According to the study, millennials base much of their purchasing decisions on buying from brands that are perceived to be honest and involved with social goals that go beyond the bottom line. In Jay Z's case, millennial consumers don't know what the rapper stands for anymore.

In comparison to other personalities, Jay Z scored 70 percent lower in the categories of trustworthiness and honesty than did celebrties such as Morgan Freeman and Jennifer Lawrence. Sehdev believes this is due to the apperance that Jay Z is focused on making money however he can at any turn.

The article states that "consumers praise Jay Z's intelligence, but question his integrity as an artist, noting that he has collaborated with a variety of musicians from Justin Timberlake to Kanye West, and dabbled in various genres like hip-hop, pop, and R&B."

Another aspect detrimental to Jay's purchasing persuasion is that he constantly references other brands and products in his music. According to Sehdev, the rapper referenced eight different luxury brands more than 20 times on Magna Carta Holy Grail. Although the album did fare well in sales, it was condemned for being commercially motivated rather than artistically driven.

"Millennials question the exact nature of Jay Z's role in the artistic process," Sehdev said. "Does he really write his own songs? Is he choosing the artists to collaborate with, or is he just the face of a money-making empire?"

Another recent decision that has caused millennials to lose trust in Jay was his purchase of stake in the NBA's New Jersey Nets and moving the team to Brooklyn. Despite being the face of the campaign for the move, he sold his interests in the team less than a year later so that he could pursue another new venture as a sports agent. While his endeavor seemed to be in favor of his beloved hometown, Brooklyn has yet to received the affording housing the Nets promised when they purchased the land for the Barclays Center.

"Millennials questions his approach to loyalty, whether it be to a business deal or his fans," Sehdev said. "His motivations to just make money can be viewed by this audience as self-centered, even if they may be business savvy."

However, Sehdev thinks that the rapper's recent interview in Vanity Fair is a step forward in regaining the trust of millennial consumers. In the cover story, he talked about his social views and his family life with Beyoncé and Blue Ivy.

But what more will Jay need to do regain trust? Sehdev said he will need to continue to be transparent about his home life and be mindful of future partnerships aligning with his brand.

"We rarely see this true side of him," Sehdev said. "I believe Jay Z is going to need more exposure of his true self, meaningful partnerships, and true philanthropic efforts to get back into the good books of Millennials."

What did you think of the studies findings? Do you agree with their assessment of Jay Z? Let us know in the comments section below!

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