One thing that makes it all particularly awful is when one of the tabloids, such as The Sun (a UK rag), has a full page spread announcing that they have had a star named after the latest tragic child victim. In these cases you have the public as a whole being suckered into believing that it means something and will be a memorial to some poor unfortunate.

[Edited to add...]
At which point the description of it being a "novelty gift" sticks in the throat.