BlackBerry’s latest setback: no more Alicia Keys

So much for that branding exercise. About a year ago, when it was getting ready to launch its new line of phones, BlackBerry announced R&B singer Alicia Keys as its “global creative director,” a gig for which she was reportedly paid about $1 million. Now, with the smartphone maker hemorrhaging billions of dollars and pulling back from the consumer handset market, it seems a pop-singer brand ambassador is no longer needed. The Globe reports that Keys will shill for the Waterloo company no more.

There have been some questions about what celebrity appointees like Keys actually do—but we understand she gave at least one PowerPoint presentation, so there’s that. According to the Globe, she also participated in some marketing exercises, and performed at company-sponsored concerts. We guess BlackBerry’s pop-star days are over, at least for the time being—but maybe Colin Mochrie is tired is of repping crackers and would appreciate a call?