Would love to see some of Marie's work.
And, celeb endorsements don't influence me. I see both the company's, and the OP's, point.
I own a Janome made machine. Purchased because it meets my needs and it's a lot of machine for the money.
I can't imagine Marie influencing the occasional sewer to purchase but then who would influence them? A young celeb from the tabloids? I think you'd have greater success with a Hello Kitty endorsement.