The article actually calls out that this wasn't the case for the ISP at least:
> As Ars Technica's interview with BowieNet co-founder Ron Roy confirms, Bowie didn't just lend the enterprise his brand but was "tremendously involved from day one." As Roy tells it, Bowie kept BowieNet fresh "by exploring new technologies to keep fans engaged and excited. He always preached [that] it's about the experience, the new."
It's certainly possible - but the wording in article is exactly the same as Perfume or Clothes designers say about celebrity branded products: Oh, Jennifer [Aniston|Lopez|Garner] had HUGE impact and was VERY clear on her vision from day one. She's been very specific and hands-on to ensure that we bring fresh new scents & ideas never seen before, and really push the boundaries of what the market has experienced. etc etc etc.
It's part & parcel - in order for your name/brand to have any value to the manufacturer/producer, it has to at least appear, plausibly, that you actively contributed. Some celebrities buy into their own spiel too... (and some, to be fair, actually find they have talent and/or invest actual effort into it, that may not even have to be secretly undone by the actual experts :P )
Which is part and parcel with these companies. They do some consulting, but in general the only thing they're selling is their brand. And everyone involved is incentivized not to be fully transparent about this when giving media interviews.
> As Ars Technica's interview with BowieNet co-founder Ron Roy confirms, Bowie didn't just lend the enterprise his brand but was "tremendously involved from day one." As Roy tells it, Bowie kept BowieNet fresh "by exploring new technologies to keep fans engaged and excited. He always preached [that] it's about the experience, the new."