It certainly boosts publicity, but most of the people I know of who have signed up for cryonics are either various sorts of transhumanists or celebrities. The celebrities generally seem to do it for publicity or as a status symbol. From the reactions I've gotten telling people about cryonics, I feel it has been mostly a negative social impact. I say this not because people I meet are creeped out by cryonics, but because they specifically mention various celebrities. I think if more scientists or doctors (basically, experts) opted for cryonics it might add credibility. I can only assume that lack of customers for companies like Alcor decreases the chance of surviving cryonics.

Uhhh... no. People developed the Urban legend about Walt Disney for a reason. It's easy to take rich, creative, ingenious, successful people and portray them as eccentric, isolated and out of touch.

Think about the dissonance between "How crazy those Scientologists are" and "How successful those celebrities are." We don't want to create a similar dissonance with cryonics.