When it comes to advertising a product, image is everything. It determines what kind of market the product is in, what type of consumer will buy such products, and how must it be advertised to suit the previous categories.
Over the years, brands try to re-create their image in order to gain a wider customer base. In this case, these brands got help from athletes to help promote their products/brands. With many brands, this seems to be a successful route, but in this case with Lebron James and Serena Williams, they were backlashed for promoting unhealthy foods. Instead of creating a stronger brand image, the athletes sent mixed messages to the consumers. In this case, repositioning the brand was unsuccessful and heavily criticized for it.
Since many consumers already have formed opinions about certain brands, especially now with more awareness about unhealthy foods and the risk of eating them in large quantities, these brands that tried to re-invent their image were caught in trying to deceive the consumer. In the end result, the brands and athletes were criticized and questioned in why they would try to promote something unhealthy with a healthy person, an ironic and confusing message to us all.