It's like celebrities launching lines of cosmetics products - all they do is contribute a picture of their face, and then they rake in the money.

This is how software works, too, in some cases even open source, look at the Python ecosystem. Search for the actual authors or who is doing the work vs. who is going on stage in the Hyatt.

Sadly a very effective strategy until you develop critical thinking, some struggle their entire life to achieve it.

Critical thinking can suggest that the actual physical product lacks innovation or doesn't bring anything dramatically better on table but the branding does, therefore the branding people take the money.

Not exactly, they also signal that the style of the product will overall match the public image of the celebrity, which may actually save some time whey you are shopping, but most probably not worth it.