Appeal to authority?
Not really. We're talking about an appraisal of the status of a scientific field. Anyone can make such an appraisal, but you'd tend to trust someone who had worked in the field.
For instance, one of the reasons they use athletes in commercials for athletic apparel is that we presume athletes have some experience with athletic apparel. Consider the alternative:
Physical Chemistry Professor RWP says: "When I need that great takeoff boost and hang time near the bucket, I'm glad I chose Reeboks for my basketball footware needs. They're a slam dunk!
Cut away to the imposing figure of an over-40 college professor, under 6 feet and slightly overweight (and ahem, belonging to the racial group that notoriously can't jump anyway), who can slam dunk only with the assistance of a step-ladder.