Analysis by Jeffrey Hajek and Xavia Gary in SRM 435
Showing posts with label endorsement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label endorsement. Show all posts
Monday, February 2, 2015
Monday, March 31, 2014
"Manziel puts on pro day show, then Nike capitalizes on Manziel Pro Day Collection"
From NBC Sports
Analysis by Josh Wells in SRM 435 (section 1)
On March 27th college football may have been changed forever with a revolutionary pro day put on in College station by the one and only Johnny Manziel. Pro day gives athletes with a dream to play in the NFL a chance to show their talents to scouts and coaches. In Manziel’s case he had seven head coaches, George H Bush and Barbara Bush, and many scouts. Many first came from this proday such as; Johnny addressed scouts prior to workout, mixtapes playing throughout, and most of all wore shoulder pads and helmet. Manziel put on a show completing 61 passes out of 65 with 2 drops, leaving scouts with their mouths wide open at the end of the day. As soon as Manziel was done working out, Nike was sure to use this as an opportunity to tell everyone they also had the chance to dress and compete in the same gear as Manziel. Johnny football being endorsed by Nike gives them the chance to use him as much as possible and in my opinion is what his pro day was all about. Being criticized is something that Johnny Manziel is used to and learns to embraced, but I feel he is being push into a certain direction by Nike while he should be focused on his career. When asked about his decision on wear shoulder pads and a helmet, he replied “the game isn’t played in shorts and a tshirt.” Perhaps now we have a real answer to the question; because Nike had a helmet to market. While all the endorsement hype surrounds Manziel, his future employers and coaches have been quoted by saying his performance was a “sideshow and “Circus.” Money is important and I will be the first to say this, but being so young and growing up with one dream to play in the NFL, I feel he has been sidetracked by companies who want to use him. From here on out I believe he needs to focus on himself and try to fly under the radar. While also showing teams he can control and maintain focus with many distractions.
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Analysis by A.J. Scott in SRM 435 (section 1)
They don’t call Johnny Manziel “Johnny Football” for no reason at all. During this past 2013 season, Johnny Manziel was one of the most known, if not the number one, name in college football. Only a 21 year old starting quarterback for Texas A&M, Manziel didn’t waste time showing his talent through his schools football team, completing over 60 passes last season and receiving the Heisman Trophy award.
With all of this recognition, it is no surprise that a high profile athletic brand would want someone like Manziel promoting them. Of course, Nike was the lucky winner. Not only does Manziel wear their brand from head to toe, Nike also took it upon themselves to dedicate a whole ‘Manziel Pro Day Collection’ to him. This collection included all the works you could imagine from the shirt all the way down to the shoes and socks.
Why would Nike want to invest all this money into Johnny Manziel? Well, not only will Manziel more than likely be one of the first 10 that are picked in the NFL draft this year, he will also get a lot of attention once he does get drafted to a team. Manziel left observers speechless at his pro day on March 27th and will only continue to impress America with his talent.
On March 27th college football may have been changed forever with a revolutionary pro day put on in College station by the one and only Johnny Manziel. Pro day gives athletes with a dream to play in the NFL a chance to show their talents to scouts and coaches. In Manziel’s case he had seven head coaches, George H Bush and Barbara Bush, and many scouts. Many first came from this proday such as; Johnny addressed scouts prior to workout, mixtapes playing throughout, and most of all wore shoulder pads and helmet. Manziel put on a show completing 61 passes out of 65 with 2 drops, leaving scouts with their mouths wide open at the end of the day. As soon as Manziel was done working out, Nike was sure to use this as an opportunity to tell everyone they also had the chance to dress and compete in the same gear as Manziel. Johnny football being endorsed by Nike gives them the chance to use him as much as possible and in my opinion is what his pro day was all about. Being criticized is something that Johnny Manziel is used to and learns to embraced, but I feel he is being push into a certain direction by Nike while he should be focused on his career. When asked about his decision on wear shoulder pads and a helmet, he replied “the game isn’t played in shorts and a tshirt.” Perhaps now we have a real answer to the question; because Nike had a helmet to market. While all the endorsement hype surrounds Manziel, his future employers and coaches have been quoted by saying his performance was a “sideshow and “Circus.” Money is important and I will be the first to say this, but being so young and growing up with one dream to play in the NFL, I feel he has been sidetracked by companies who want to use him. From here on out I believe he needs to focus on himself and try to fly under the radar. While also showing teams he can control and maintain focus with many distractions.
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Analysis by A.J. Scott in SRM 435 (section 1)
They don’t call Johnny Manziel “Johnny Football” for no reason at all. During this past 2013 season, Johnny Manziel was one of the most known, if not the number one, name in college football. Only a 21 year old starting quarterback for Texas A&M, Manziel didn’t waste time showing his talent through his schools football team, completing over 60 passes last season and receiving the Heisman Trophy award.
With all of this recognition, it is no surprise that a high profile athletic brand would want someone like Manziel promoting them. Of course, Nike was the lucky winner. Not only does Manziel wear their brand from head to toe, Nike also took it upon themselves to dedicate a whole ‘Manziel Pro Day Collection’ to him. This collection included all the works you could imagine from the shirt all the way down to the shoes and socks.
Why would Nike want to invest all this money into Johnny Manziel? Well, not only will Manziel more than likely be one of the first 10 that are picked in the NFL draft this year, he will also get a lot of attention once he does get drafted to a team. Manziel left observers speechless at his pro day on March 27th and will only continue to impress America with his talent.
Monday, January 27, 2014
"Seahawks' Richard Sherman Gets Hounded by Media in This Perfectly Timed Ad"
From Adweek
Video from the game
Review by Becca Gibbs in SRM 435 (section 2)
This article highlights Washington Seahawks’ cornerback Richard Sherman’s recent post-game interview with Erin Andrews influencing his brand new Beats by Dre commercial. The timing of this commercial could not have been better or worse, in some opinions. After Sherman’s final play of game against the San Francisco 49ers, he screamed into Erin Andrew’s microphone “I’m the best corner in the game. When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that’s the result you’re going to get. Don’t you ever talk about me!” (Gasper, 2014). Sports journalists and bloggers alike began writing and posting about Sherman being a thug from Compton, California.
Sherman’s Beats by Dre commercial was released the day of the NFC Championship game, the same day Colin Kaepernick’s, the 49ers quarterback, aired. When the Seahawks won, Kaepernick’s commercial was pulled and only Sherman’s would be played. Sherman had the reputation of being a thug before the championship game, but his rowdy interview reinforced this reputation. His Beats by Dre commercial promotes the adaptive noise canceling headphones with the slogan “Hear what you want”. This was the perfect pitch for Sherman because he pays no attention to the trash talkers calling him a “thug”. In the promotional standpoint, it is unclear which is being advertised more, the headphones or Sherman. The interviewers’ questions during the commercial become increasingly personal until one interviewer asks “how do you feel about your reputation as a thug?”. Although it was a relevant question, and it reflected his post-game interview, I believe that the questions were too personal and focused too much on Sherman and not enough on the product. Had Sherman been calmer during his interview with Erin Andrews, the commercial would not have gotten the attention that it has received.
Although many reporters claim that the release of this commercial was perfectly timed with Sherman’s NFC Championship game interview, I believe that the cornerback’s publicity outshined the Beats by Dre headphones. The commercial stars Sherman and only features the headphones. When promoting a new product, it is extremely important to keep the focus on whatever it is you are selling. I think Beats by Dre chose an appropriate athlete for the product, but Sherman stole the spotlight of the commercial after his interview. Although the commercial is good publicity for the Seahawks’ player, it does not promote the headphones enough.
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Review by Amy Spring in SRM 435 (section 2)
The article in Adweek about Richard Sherman promoting Beats by Dre was a perfectly timed ad and explains why. It promoted who Richard Sherman is, who he isn’t, and the headphones that he and millions of others use. A game between two of the toughest teams, the two teams that most thought would be the final two in the Super Bowl, the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks was held on January 19th. That same day an ad for Beats was released and again aired the next morning on SportsCenter.
Sherman had drawn national attention for his post-game interview with Erin Andrews. He quickly became a highly talked about, controversial, player. He has had fines for trash talking on the field and after the game was played. The ironic thing about the interview and the issues people have with Sherman is one of the most intelligent and philanthropic young players in the NFL. He earned a 4.2 GPA in high school and a communication degree from Stanford University.
Although the interview was in the moment and seems to be genuinely how Sherman felt after the big play, he created a lot of hate and talk about himself. The main focus was on the interview and not on the big athletic play at the end, or how close the game was. Sherman was quoted saying, “If I’m going to get a reputation, I might as well own my reputation.” He is aware he is being talked about but is staying focused on the game and not letting the negative attention get to him.
The article discusses that the intensity of the commercial is not as strong as others in the past; however it is relevant to what Sherman has been dealing with throughout the season. The media is trying to pin him as a thug. This was all great publicity timing for Beats and Sherman teaming up since publicity is free and they were already using him in the commercial to promote the Beats.
This Sunday the Super Bowl will be played at 6:30 pm between the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos; anticipation for the result and to see how the “greatest cornerback in the game” performs, both on and off the field.
Review by Becca Gibbs in SRM 435 (section 2)
This article highlights Washington Seahawks’ cornerback Richard Sherman’s recent post-game interview with Erin Andrews influencing his brand new Beats by Dre commercial. The timing of this commercial could not have been better or worse, in some opinions. After Sherman’s final play of game against the San Francisco 49ers, he screamed into Erin Andrew’s microphone “I’m the best corner in the game. When you try me with a sorry receiver like Crabtree, that’s the result you’re going to get. Don’t you ever talk about me!” (Gasper, 2014). Sports journalists and bloggers alike began writing and posting about Sherman being a thug from Compton, California.
Sherman’s Beats by Dre commercial was released the day of the NFC Championship game, the same day Colin Kaepernick’s, the 49ers quarterback, aired. When the Seahawks won, Kaepernick’s commercial was pulled and only Sherman’s would be played. Sherman had the reputation of being a thug before the championship game, but his rowdy interview reinforced this reputation. His Beats by Dre commercial promotes the adaptive noise canceling headphones with the slogan “Hear what you want”. This was the perfect pitch for Sherman because he pays no attention to the trash talkers calling him a “thug”. In the promotional standpoint, it is unclear which is being advertised more, the headphones or Sherman. The interviewers’ questions during the commercial become increasingly personal until one interviewer asks “how do you feel about your reputation as a thug?”. Although it was a relevant question, and it reflected his post-game interview, I believe that the questions were too personal and focused too much on Sherman and not enough on the product. Had Sherman been calmer during his interview with Erin Andrews, the commercial would not have gotten the attention that it has received.
Although many reporters claim that the release of this commercial was perfectly timed with Sherman’s NFC Championship game interview, I believe that the cornerback’s publicity outshined the Beats by Dre headphones. The commercial stars Sherman and only features the headphones. When promoting a new product, it is extremely important to keep the focus on whatever it is you are selling. I think Beats by Dre chose an appropriate athlete for the product, but Sherman stole the spotlight of the commercial after his interview. Although the commercial is good publicity for the Seahawks’ player, it does not promote the headphones enough.
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Review by Amy Spring in SRM 435 (section 2)
The article in Adweek about Richard Sherman promoting Beats by Dre was a perfectly timed ad and explains why. It promoted who Richard Sherman is, who he isn’t, and the headphones that he and millions of others use. A game between two of the toughest teams, the two teams that most thought would be the final two in the Super Bowl, the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks was held on January 19th. That same day an ad for Beats was released and again aired the next morning on SportsCenter.
Sherman had drawn national attention for his post-game interview with Erin Andrews. He quickly became a highly talked about, controversial, player. He has had fines for trash talking on the field and after the game was played. The ironic thing about the interview and the issues people have with Sherman is one of the most intelligent and philanthropic young players in the NFL. He earned a 4.2 GPA in high school and a communication degree from Stanford University.
Although the interview was in the moment and seems to be genuinely how Sherman felt after the big play, he created a lot of hate and talk about himself. The main focus was on the interview and not on the big athletic play at the end, or how close the game was. Sherman was quoted saying, “If I’m going to get a reputation, I might as well own my reputation.” He is aware he is being talked about but is staying focused on the game and not letting the negative attention get to him.
The article discusses that the intensity of the commercial is not as strong as others in the past; however it is relevant to what Sherman has been dealing with throughout the season. The media is trying to pin him as a thug. This was all great publicity timing for Beats and Sherman teaming up since publicity is free and they were already using him in the commercial to promote the Beats.
This Sunday the Super Bowl will be played at 6:30 pm between the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos; anticipation for the result and to see how the “greatest cornerback in the game” performs, both on and off the field.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
"State Farm benefiting from 'Discount' ads"
From ESPN.com
Review by Peter Brosnan in KIN 332 (section 2)
This article focused mainly on Aaron Rodgers and his role as a spokesperson for State Farm Insurance. Everyone has seen the commercials and nearly everybody knows about Rodgers’ signature touchdown celebration, but what does it all mean? ‘Discount Double Check’ actually refers to a program where State Farm gives discounts to customers for various reasons such as safe driving and combining home and auto insurance. Whether or not people know what this term actually means, the important thing is that people are talking about it. Social media tracking company Bluefin Labs said that there were 6,400 comments about the ‘Discount Double Check’ during and three hours after the Sunday Night Football game between the Packers and Texans. This was due to Rodgers, as well as some taunting opponents, performing his famous touchdown dance numerous times, but most importantly it was due to the fact that almost everyone has seen these commercials.
State Farm succeeded in their initial goal, which is to get people to see their commercials and get everyone talking about it. However, what I believe they need to do next is to explain what in the world the ‘Discount Double Check’ actually is! I believe there is no point in advertising a product or program when it is not even understood by the consumers. I tried to search online for what purpose the ‘DDC’ actually serves its’ customers, and all I found were articles about Rodgers and video clips for the commercials. Rodgers is a great spokesperson; intelligent, funny, talented, exciting, etc. However, there comes a point when State Farm needs to stop going for entertainment value and instead explain how they have a step up on their competition. Don’t get me wrong, the first step in their marketing plan has succeeded immensely, but before long most people are going to start getting sick of the same commercial over and over again.
Monday, October 22, 2012
"Armstrong stripped of Tour de France titles, banned from cycling"
Review by Lindsay Brauch in SRM 334
In recent news, Lance Armstrong was stripped of his titles from 1999 to 2005, with an accusation of doping. With his most recent refusal to fight this accusation of ten years, the United States Anti-Doping Association had no other option. His old drug tests originally came out negative, but with new technologies, this was not the case.
Not only were his titles taken from him, he was banned from cycling all together. Although he is still standing by his innocence, it’s a man’s word against the facts. Armstrong referred to the USADA’s actions a “witch hunt.” He felt that their actions in looking into his old tests were absurd.
As a result of being stripped of his seven titles, Greg LeMond, is now the only American to win the Tour De France in 1986, 1989, and 1990. According to USADA officials, at least ten of Armstrong's teammates were set to testify against him. Not only is it upsetting to have ten of your teammates not have your back, and lose your titles, as well as being banned from cycling, Armstrong’s ties with Nike have also been cut.
Apparently many witnesses said they knew or had been told by Armstrong himself, that he had “used EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone and cortisone.” It is also common in the cycling world to have been a doper. I feel as if it’s a little extreme to only focus on Lance Armstrong. He was not the only cycler to have been apart of it, its just unfortunate that he is the main focus. I’m not saying I approve, I believe the whole concept of it is wrong; I just think it needs to be fair. If you’re going to look at all of his old tests, they should look at all cyclers. I also don’t believe that doping should ever be seen as an outlook to success.
Armstrong was an idol to many, and a role model to aspiring cyclers. He was even a role model to cancer patients and survivors. It is an upsetting loss to the cycling world; he was their most popular athlete. How would you feel if your star player was accused of being a cheater, or even your hero? Wouldn’t your views change on him or her?
Lance Armstrong has to find a way to save his image, now that he has chosen not to fight this case anymore. In my eyes it is now clear that he was in fact using drugs. We also have to consider how this scandal is going to affect his Livestrong foundation. It’s still a fantastic cause, and it would be awful to watch it fall apart. I hope he realizes how his actions affect everyone. As far as how this relates to our class, it’s analyzing how all of his actions affect his life. It’s going to be looking at how all of his foundations and sponsors bounce back, and how he bounces back. The media is going to be focused on all of them for a while, each company and even Lance himself is going to have to find a way to be seen in a positive light.
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Review by Christopher Hudgins in SRM 334
After nearly ten years of fighting doping allegations, Lance Armstrong decided to end possibly his biggest fight yet by quitting. Lance Armstrong Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned for life from the sport of cycling. Lance Armstrong refused to file for arbitration thus giving up on a fight that essentially wiped out 14 years of his miraculous career. This decision has shocked nearly everyone in the sports world especially in the close cycling community. Armstrong has stuck by his innocence through all the accusations and now to give up on the fight is what has shocked his former competitors the most. Former coach Johan Bruyneel said Armstrong was the victim of an “unjust” legal case, stating that he has never known Armstrong to back down from a fair fight. Many critics however believe that this decision to stop fighting is as good as a confession. This is in large part due to the fact that USADA (United States Anti-Doping Agency) claimed to have witnesses who had been told by Armstrong himself that he had “used EPO, blood transfusions, testosterone and cortisone” from before 1998 through 2005. Had Armstrong decided to pursue arbitration all the evidence would have been available for him to challenge. This decision to quit though could end up costing Armstrong more than just victories on the bike. Armstrong’s success helped sell millions of Livestrong bands and ultimately helped his Lance Armstrong Foundation. Since the foundation was started in 1997 it has raised nearly $500 million to promote cancer research and treatment. The recent turn of events and extensive media coverage of the recent findings in this scandal could cause his foundation to unfortunately take a hit in support. That first hit came almost a week ago when one of the biggest partners and supporters decided to cut ties with the ex-cyclist and his Lance Armstrong Foundation, after initially pledging their allegiance with Armstrong citing that “Lance has stated his innocence and has been unwavering on this position”. Some feel that the media whirl wind caused by this investigation and the ten years of fighting both USADA accusations as well as the media has ultimately just worn down the 41 year old Lance Armstrong. “There comes a point in every man’s life when he has to say, ‘Enough is enough.’ For me, that time is now.” These were Armstrong’s exhausted words before the deadline to enter arbitration, yet still standing by his innocence.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
"Athletes Brady, RGIII Buck Nike's NFL Sponsorship (in Practice)"
From Advertising Age
Review by Brian Barlow in KIN 501
The article I am going to review is Athletes Brady, RGIII Buck Nike's NFL Sponsorship (in Practice). This article discusses the current issue with players in the NFL being sponsored by other companies than the sponsor of the league itself (Nike). Last spring, Nike took over as the new equipment and apparel sponsor of the NFL. An issue that will always arise is when players are sponsored by other companies; in this case it is Tom Brady who is sponsored by Under Armour and Robert Griffin III who is sponsored by Adidas. The article explains how the first issue with sponsorship this season was when Robert Griffin III wrote the word “Heart” over the Nike swoosh on his warm up shirt during the pregame of his bout against the New Orleans Saints. The article reveals that the NFL contacted Griffin about the cover up and how he hasn’t tried to do it again since. The other incident the article describes is with Tom Brady. After practice one day at a press conference, Tom Brady put a piece of tape of the Nike swoosh on his shirt for the interview. Tom was never contacted by the league about this action, because “Policy only pertains to game day.” The article ends with quotes from the former Creative Director of Nike, Ernest Lupinacci. Lupinacci is quoted saying that the fact that these players are worried about covering up logos and such is “diminishing” to the players’ reputation.
In my opinion, I don’t see anything wrong with doing these things on practice days like Tom did. I can somewhat agree with Lupinacci about doing this on a game day when one should be totally focused on the game and not focused about covering up logos and such. I found it interesting that covering up the logos ironically brought more attention to Nike because it turned into a public issue through the media and such.
The article I am going to review is Athletes Brady, RGIII Buck Nike's NFL Sponsorship (in Practice). This article discusses the current issue with players in the NFL being sponsored by other companies than the sponsor of the league itself (Nike). Last spring, Nike took over as the new equipment and apparel sponsor of the NFL. An issue that will always arise is when players are sponsored by other companies; in this case it is Tom Brady who is sponsored by Under Armour and Robert Griffin III who is sponsored by Adidas. The article explains how the first issue with sponsorship this season was when Robert Griffin III wrote the word “Heart” over the Nike swoosh on his warm up shirt during the pregame of his bout against the New Orleans Saints. The article reveals that the NFL contacted Griffin about the cover up and how he hasn’t tried to do it again since. The other incident the article describes is with Tom Brady. After practice one day at a press conference, Tom Brady put a piece of tape of the Nike swoosh on his shirt for the interview. Tom was never contacted by the league about this action, because “Policy only pertains to game day.” The article ends with quotes from the former Creative Director of Nike, Ernest Lupinacci. Lupinacci is quoted saying that the fact that these players are worried about covering up logos and such is “diminishing” to the players’ reputation.
In my opinion, I don’t see anything wrong with doing these things on practice days like Tom did. I can somewhat agree with Lupinacci about doing this on a game day when one should be totally focused on the game and not focused about covering up logos and such. I found it interesting that covering up the logos ironically brought more attention to Nike because it turned into a public issue through the media and such.
Thursday, October 11, 2012
"Cam Newton tackles fashion"
From the Charlotte Business Journal
Review by Jordan Grudko in KIN 332 (section 1)
I’m not the type of person to buy clothing or anything else really based on whose clothes line it is or who advertises the product, however I still think it is smart for athletes to do this. Not only does it provide another source of income for them, but it expands an athlete’s fan base allowing them to become more popular. This growth in popularity also will lead to more opportunities for income because popularity directly relates to the endorsement deals an athlete or person can receive. Cam Newton is an athlete continually growing in popularity, in a sport with continually growing popularity, so why not put out a clothing line that can only enhance his fame. He isn’t the first athlete to begin a clothing line, but few go beyond designing shoes and apparel like Cam Newton has. I especially think it’s smart to get involved in children’s clothing because kids look at athletes as if they are superheroes, and I think his clothing line MADE will be a huge hit with the kids. I think this is even more true in today’s day and age where looks and being cool is becoming more and more important to younger kids. I believe if an athlete or person of prominence has a passion for fashion, then they should pursue something along the lines of their own clothes line like Cam Newton has. He was very involved in the design of his line and with the help of Belk’s Inc., MADE by Cam Newton will be being worn by a lot of people in the coming years.
I’m not the type of person to buy clothing or anything else really based on whose clothes line it is or who advertises the product, however I still think it is smart for athletes to do this. Not only does it provide another source of income for them, but it expands an athlete’s fan base allowing them to become more popular. This growth in popularity also will lead to more opportunities for income because popularity directly relates to the endorsement deals an athlete or person can receive. Cam Newton is an athlete continually growing in popularity, in a sport with continually growing popularity, so why not put out a clothing line that can only enhance his fame. He isn’t the first athlete to begin a clothing line, but few go beyond designing shoes and apparel like Cam Newton has. I especially think it’s smart to get involved in children’s clothing because kids look at athletes as if they are superheroes, and I think his clothing line MADE will be a huge hit with the kids. I think this is even more true in today’s day and age where looks and being cool is becoming more and more important to younger kids. I believe if an athlete or person of prominence has a passion for fashion, then they should pursue something along the lines of their own clothes line like Cam Newton has. He was very involved in the design of his line and with the help of Belk’s Inc., MADE by Cam Newton will be being worn by a lot of people in the coming years.
"Female Olympians count their post-Games winnings"
From UPI.com
Review by Ali Noel in KIN 332 (section 2)
The article “Female Olympians Count their Post-Games Winnings” dealt with issues between male and female endorsed athletes and how the gender gap is gradually becoming thinner. As the Olympic games came to their end, there has been a developing interest in certain female athletes and with that comes the possibility for lucrative sponsorship opportunities. In the past, male athletes have earned, on average, twice the amount that female athletes get paid in sponsorships. Although top male athletes will always attract the most attention, thus leading to higher paychecks, female athletes have certainly become more marketable and involved in high-paying endorsement deals in the recent times. Social networking sites are partly accountable for this increase in salary and endorsement deals for female athletes. These athletes have immense followings on social media sites which means they are able to influence and relate to fans and consumers. This article used Olympic gold medalist, Gabby Douglas, as a prime example. She has nearly 750,000 followers on Twitter, which means the products she endorses are being seen through her promotional tweets regarding that company’s product. For example, on October 8, 2012 she tweeted, “Best cereal in the WORLD!! Thanks Kellogg’s!” This tweet had a picture of Kellogg’s new cereal “Krave” and many people retweeted and favored this specific tweet. People are becoming aware of products through these athletes and it is increasing the company’s profits in the long run. Her expected earnings through this deal with Kellogg’s will bring Gabby almost $3 million. The article also discussed how high school Olympian swimmer Missy Franklin has given up some profitable offers ($2 million in endorsements to be exact) in order to remain eligible to play college sports. Some companies, including Pantene, have used multiple female athletes to mass-market their products. This is beneficial because Pantene’s mission is to raise awareness for the relationship between sports and health. Although some of these female athletes are earning millions in endorsement deals, they still have a long way to go before catching up to the leading men in the industry. Last year’s Sports Illustrated magazine reported 50 of the highest earning athletes, and not a single woman made the cut. This is partly due to the fact that outside of the Olympics, female athletes are not recognized nearly as much as males. Another reason is that females are usually portrayed strategically by sexualizing them and the target market (other females) do not respond favorably to this. These female athletes are far behind their male counterparts earnings-wise, but hopefully that will be changing in the near future.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
"Mark Wahlberg enters supplements market"
From ESPN.com
Review by Kevin Bradshaw in KIN 332 (section 1)
GNC has come out with a new line of nutritional that was created in part with movie star Mark Wahlberg. This is not a traditional endorsement where a company looks for a new face for itself. Mark Wahlberg started a foundation to improve quality of life for inner city youth. He has been looking for ways to improve peoples’ lives for years. He stated that, "Endorsing products is not what I do, building great products is what I want to do." This is exactly what he has done. Wahlberg has not only teamed up with GNC supplement specialists but some of the best scientists in the field to make sure that what he is selling is the best.
This is a unique approach. Usually athletes or celebrities do not put that much time, effort, and money into their product they are endorsing. This is the first I have heard wear a celebrity is not putting his face or body with the product he is endorsing; this shows that not everyone is in it for the money. I think that this will be a more effective marketing approach because not only will it attract people that like Mark Wahlberg or “Marky Mark”, it will also attract the people that like to support a good cause and those who by products for its quality. More companies should use this approach when marketing their products; it gives a better reputation for both the company and the athlete or celebrity. I wonder how many athletes truly endorse their product and how many just collect the paycheck and take a few pictures with a soda bottle in their hand. It is always good to see athletes and celebrities who have everything they need give back and want to help others who are not as fortunate. I believe Mark Wahlberg truly wants to better the lives of anyone he can reach, whether it is someone trying to get in shape or an inner city youth child struggling in school. I might have to go to GNC and spend twice the money to help support Mark Wahlberg so he does not have to go “door to door” selling protein shakes to make his product a success.
Monday, April 16, 2012
"Gatorade announces multi-year partnership with Cam Newton"
From Sports Business Digest
Review by Michael Prince in KIN 435 (section 2)
Gatorade just signed a multi-year partnership with Carolina Panther Cam Newton. Cam joins Peyton Manning and Eli Manning as the only other players represented by Gatorade in the NFL. Newton will appear in television advertisements and also print and digital. He will also be going to the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to work with them on figuring out ways to improve performance out on the field.
This is a huge deal for Cam Newton as he will only be a second year player this upcoming season. Gatorade said, “Cam has proven himself as a naturally gifted athlete with a promising NFL career.” This goes to show how much of an impact Newton had throughout his first season. Gatorade hasn’t signed any other players other than the Manning brother’s so this interesting to see. Cam is very marketable as he is a great player and has a great personality as he is a fan favorite everywhere he goes. He also has proven he is a winner at every level he plays at. Having Cam Newton attached to Gatorade will be a big impact on people that drink sports drinks. People are going to want to be like Cam and do the same things he does. I expect sales for Gatorade to increase as I see them putting his face all over the bottles or on all sorts of advertisements.
This deal can only benefit Gatorade as Cam Newton seems to be the ideal athlete to represent Gatorade along with Peyton and Eli Manning. I’m already a fan of Gatorade and I will continue to keep drinking Gatorade. It will be up to Gatorade to appeal to people that don’t drink Gatorade. This deal will help both parties and I see a great relationship between Cam Newton and Gatorade in the future.
Review by Michael Prince in KIN 435 (section 2)
Gatorade just signed a multi-year partnership with Carolina Panther Cam Newton. Cam joins Peyton Manning and Eli Manning as the only other players represented by Gatorade in the NFL. Newton will appear in television advertisements and also print and digital. He will also be going to the Gatorade Sports Science Institute to work with them on figuring out ways to improve performance out on the field.
This is a huge deal for Cam Newton as he will only be a second year player this upcoming season. Gatorade said, “Cam has proven himself as a naturally gifted athlete with a promising NFL career.” This goes to show how much of an impact Newton had throughout his first season. Gatorade hasn’t signed any other players other than the Manning brother’s so this interesting to see. Cam is very marketable as he is a great player and has a great personality as he is a fan favorite everywhere he goes. He also has proven he is a winner at every level he plays at. Having Cam Newton attached to Gatorade will be a big impact on people that drink sports drinks. People are going to want to be like Cam and do the same things he does. I expect sales for Gatorade to increase as I see them putting his face all over the bottles or on all sorts of advertisements.
This deal can only benefit Gatorade as Cam Newton seems to be the ideal athlete to represent Gatorade along with Peyton and Eli Manning. I’m already a fan of Gatorade and I will continue to keep drinking Gatorade. It will be up to Gatorade to appeal to people that don’t drink Gatorade. This deal will help both parties and I see a great relationship between Cam Newton and Gatorade in the future.
Friday, March 30, 2012
"Trade to Jets Launches Tim Tebow Into Marketing Stratosphere"
From Forbes
Review by Chad Byers in Kin 435 (section 1)
Jeff Bercovici’s article in Forbes discusses the benefits Tim Tebow will enjoy from a marketing perspective following his trade to the New York Jets. Forbes discusses the new opportunities that the New York market presents to Tebow. “Tebow-mania” was already at an unbelievable level in Denver but the author shares some of the benefits he will gain from being in the biggest media market in the nation.
Tim Tebow already enjoys endorsements from Nike, Jockey, and EA sports racking in 1-2 million dollars a year. Bercovici informs the readers that Tebow can increase this number drastically almost with regional sponsorships. He states that there are several opportunities to break the million dollar mark with companies that only advertise within the New York and New Jersey area. One of the most obvious facts that determine his strength in endorsement will be his performance. If Tem Tebow can become a starter and succeed in this role it is projected that he will easily top the 10 million dollars a year annually in endorsements. While there is much dispute between the Tebow fanatics and his “haters;” there is a database that compiles statistics on consumer’s perceptions of different celebrity endorsers. Tim was at the top of many of these categories on par with Larry David and Ricky Gervais. Bercovici states, “Tebow is near the top of the chart on a variety of measures, including trust, influence and trend-setting power.” This is why every company wants his face on their product.
I personally find this article completely accurate. Tebow has proven that he has what it takes to win in the NFL and his work ethic will mend the negatives in his playing style. Some people call him phony but Tebow believes what he says all the way to the core; and that is why he is an extremely marketable athlete. I do find that a lot of the attention Tebow gains is from the media pushing him in the spotlight because of his unique way of living his life. His market strength will increase because he is now in New York but the longevity of these deals will depend on his success. New York loves a winner and forgets about a benchwarmer quicker than any other city, the sky is the limit for Tebow but it all rides on his shoulder.
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Review by Josh Futter in KIN 435 (section 3)
The article we chose for our marketing presentation is “Trade to jets launches Tebow into marketing stratosphere” by Jeff Bercovici. This article talks about how Tim Tebow is going to a small market in Denver to a large market in New York City. It talks of the opportunities that present itself for Tim in his move to New York.
This article talks about the “what if’s” for Tim and the kind of money he could be looking at depending on the future he has in New York and the amount of playing time he receives with his new team. It states that Tim could be looking at and upwards of 10 million dollars in endorsements on top of the 1 to 2 million dollars he already receives from his sponsors EA Sports, Nike, and Jockey. This depends on playing time and how the Jets do as a team. The article also states that New York is one of the only, if not the only place where Tebow could get a local sponsorship totaling the 7 figures mark. It also states that Tebow could also get sponsorship deals while riding the bench.
According to the Davie Brown index which tracks consumer perception of around 2500 athletes Tim Tebow is at the top of this study using trust, influence, and trend setting power to measure where the athletes stand with the consumers. This comes with a middle of the road appeal score due to his love him or hate him nature with the fans.
Sports agent Eugene Lee says that If Tim Tebow can win a Super Bowl it can take him to level of stars such as Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. This article gives you a lot of “what if” situations but leaves a lot of what happens with Tim’s marketability up to him and his performance on the field. The article doesn’t give any real definitive marketing strategies that will be used or new sponsors Tim will have because of his move, leaving a lot up to the reader to figure out on their own.
Review by Chad Byers in Kin 435 (section 1)
Jeff Bercovici’s article in Forbes discusses the benefits Tim Tebow will enjoy from a marketing perspective following his trade to the New York Jets. Forbes discusses the new opportunities that the New York market presents to Tebow. “Tebow-mania” was already at an unbelievable level in Denver but the author shares some of the benefits he will gain from being in the biggest media market in the nation.
Tim Tebow already enjoys endorsements from Nike, Jockey, and EA sports racking in 1-2 million dollars a year. Bercovici informs the readers that Tebow can increase this number drastically almost with regional sponsorships. He states that there are several opportunities to break the million dollar mark with companies that only advertise within the New York and New Jersey area. One of the most obvious facts that determine his strength in endorsement will be his performance. If Tem Tebow can become a starter and succeed in this role it is projected that he will easily top the 10 million dollars a year annually in endorsements. While there is much dispute between the Tebow fanatics and his “haters;” there is a database that compiles statistics on consumer’s perceptions of different celebrity endorsers. Tim was at the top of many of these categories on par with Larry David and Ricky Gervais. Bercovici states, “Tebow is near the top of the chart on a variety of measures, including trust, influence and trend-setting power.” This is why every company wants his face on their product.
I personally find this article completely accurate. Tebow has proven that he has what it takes to win in the NFL and his work ethic will mend the negatives in his playing style. Some people call him phony but Tebow believes what he says all the way to the core; and that is why he is an extremely marketable athlete. I do find that a lot of the attention Tebow gains is from the media pushing him in the spotlight because of his unique way of living his life. His market strength will increase because he is now in New York but the longevity of these deals will depend on his success. New York loves a winner and forgets about a benchwarmer quicker than any other city, the sky is the limit for Tebow but it all rides on his shoulder.
----
Review by Josh Futter in KIN 435 (section 3)
The article we chose for our marketing presentation is “Trade to jets launches Tebow into marketing stratosphere” by Jeff Bercovici. This article talks about how Tim Tebow is going to a small market in Denver to a large market in New York City. It talks of the opportunities that present itself for Tim in his move to New York.
This article talks about the “what if’s” for Tim and the kind of money he could be looking at depending on the future he has in New York and the amount of playing time he receives with his new team. It states that Tim could be looking at and upwards of 10 million dollars in endorsements on top of the 1 to 2 million dollars he already receives from his sponsors EA Sports, Nike, and Jockey. This depends on playing time and how the Jets do as a team. The article also states that New York is one of the only, if not the only place where Tebow could get a local sponsorship totaling the 7 figures mark. It also states that Tebow could also get sponsorship deals while riding the bench.
According to the Davie Brown index which tracks consumer perception of around 2500 athletes Tim Tebow is at the top of this study using trust, influence, and trend setting power to measure where the athletes stand with the consumers. This comes with a middle of the road appeal score due to his love him or hate him nature with the fans.
Sports agent Eugene Lee says that If Tim Tebow can win a Super Bowl it can take him to level of stars such as Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods. This article gives you a lot of “what if” situations but leaves a lot of what happens with Tim’s marketability up to him and his performance on the field. The article doesn’t give any real definitive marketing strategies that will be used or new sponsors Tim will have because of his move, leaving a lot up to the reader to figure out on their own.
Monday, March 19, 2012
"Hints of a Comeback as Woods Secures Deals"
From the New York Times
Review by Chad Mozingo in KIN 435 (section 2)
The article that I have chosen to do a presentation on is “Hints of a Comeback as Woods Secures Deals.” This article was found the in the New York Times on November 24, 2011. The basic over view of the article is about Tiger Woods’s sponsorship’s and how they have changed. It describes the collapse of Tiger Woods image and what impact that had on his endorsement deals. Also, the article described the magnitude of collateral damage that the infidelities had on his annual income through sponsorships. Also since the media exposure of his infidelities and its negative impact on the images of Tiger on people the article also described decline of his quality of play. The two combined has made it tough for him to pick up new sponsors and regain his excessive monetary situation that he once had.
Throughout the article it constantly explains marketing concepts such as the marketability of Tiger before and has the infidelities. It shows the ways in which athletes can be paid such as stock grants into companies and the large amounts of money that they can be worth. It also hints at the athlete side of the situation such as how Tiger will not just side with anyone as a partner because if he partners with a poor company it may bring down his image which is ultimately worth the majority of the money.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
"FILA taps tennis star Jelena Jankovic for endorsement deal"
This article is about FILA’s decision to make an endorsement deal with Jelena Jankovic. She was born and raised inBelgrade, Serbia. Jankovic was the first Serbian player to win a Grand Slam title when she won the Wimbledon mixed doubles. She was ranked Number 1 until 2009 when she was defeated by Serena Williams. Also in 2009, she wasn’t re-signed by Reebok and had a previous contract with ANTA a Chinese-based sportswear company. Her playing style is mostly known for consistency and being able to effectively slide on any surface she plays on.
FILA is a brand that is internationally successful except in the US. Some of their sponsorships include players like Grant Hill, Jerry Stackhouse, and Barry Bonds. These players aren’t as popular as they were in the 80s and 90s, which probably had a huge effect on FILA’s marketing in the United States. All together FILA had, or has 23 tennis athletes as endorsements, but only two are American. This article begs the question that though Jankovic is a good player, what makes her so special that she could influence a lot of people to think about FILA or their products. I haven’t heard about FILA since I was a child, so I had no clue that it still existed. If my favorite player started wearing FILA apparel tomorrow, I can’t honestly say that I would start wearing it, but it would make me think twice before I just put the brand down as a whole.
FILA has reached out to Jankovic because she is a great player with a great attitude about her profession and her life. Currently she is out with an injury, so I wonder how that would damper their plans to market in commercials and during different tournaments. Nevertheless, FILA is continuing its trend of reaching out to athletes of different ethnicities to strengthen its brand as a whole.
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
"For Blake Griffin, Lockout -- and Short-Lived Ping-Pong Career -- Ends Just in Time"
From Marketwire
Review by Kristen Rauch in KIN 435 (section 3)
The NBA lockout was obviously a hot topic in the sports world this season. With no games being played, rookie and veteran players alike had a lot more time on their hands to spend as they pleased. For rookie Blake Griffin, he chose to sign an endorsement deal with Red Bull Energy Drink—and have fun while doing it. The article I reviewed, titled “For Blake Griffin, Lockout -- and Short-Lived Ping-Pong Career -- Ends Just in Time,” discusses Griffin’s recent signing with Red Bull and provides a link to the promotional video of the product. The video, running just under three minutes in length, shows Griffin (sporting Clippers colors and a Red Bull sweatband) playing a ping-pong match against professional player Soo Yeon Lee. Although the whole idea of the basketball superstar ‘aspiring’ to become a professional ping-pong player has a sarcastic undertone, the benefits of this creative and humorous ad are far-reaching. Some may think it is risky to endorse an athlete in a sport that is currently undergoing lockout, but I believe in this case it was a smart move on Red Bull’s part. Who better to pick than a fan-favorite, Slam Dunk champion, and they successfully use Griffin’s popularity and charismatic personality to their advantage to promote the brand. This is also a smart business move on Griffin’s part. Not only is he making money for himself—and being likened to other great athletes who have been sponsored by Red Bull, including Reggie Bush and Rajon Rondo—but he is also helping his team, the Los Angeles Clippers, make money. Fans will be attracted by this humorous marketing video and be more enticed to watch Griffin play, increasing ticket sales for the Clippers. Anytime people see a Red Bull logo they will be reminded of the ad and will think to purchase tickets to Clippers games. The article also states that Red Bull “is now the official energy product of the Los Angeles Clippers,” so it is clear that this NBA franchise will see many sales benefits from selling Red Bull products at the arena. Although Griffin’s ping-pong career was short-lived, his signing with Red Bull will continue to bring in revenue for all that took part in the deal far into the future.
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
"Snowboarder Shaun White a marketing bonanza"
From the BostonHerald.com
Review by Adam Carranza in KIN 435 (section 1)
In the growing world of action sports, there seems to be only one superstar as their icon, Shaun White. He is the poster boy for not only snowboarding and skateboarding, but for the whole action sports industry. No doubt, his amazing success helps him accomplish this, being a two-time Olympic half pipe and 11-time Winter X games winner. But what also attracts him to so many marketers is his laid back style, easy-going fun personality and his humbleness for all of his success. He signed his first sponsorship deal at the age of seven and hasn’t showed any signs of slowing down since then. White is currently signed with big companies such as BFGoodwich, Burton, Hewlett-Packard, Oakley, Target, Ubisoft and a recent million dollar endorsement with Stride gum which includes his very own flavor. There wasn’t any worry when he couldn’t renew his sponsorship with Red Bull, because he’ll probably sign a deal three times as big with either Coca-Cola or Pepsi.
The marketing implications he has are huge and it’s not just within the action sports world. He is considered one of the most polarizing male athlete figures across all professional sports. He has amazing power as a source with his continued victories on the slope and in the skate park, and also has great attractiveness to him with his long red hair look a.k.a The Flying Tomato. But it’s not just his hair that gets marketers salivating over the chance for him to be there sponsor, it’s his attitude toward his accolades and how he seems like a genuine real person accomplishing these great feats, not some stuck up superstar who couldn’t care less. He has the ability to reach so many different markets and is some one young people across the world recognize and are compelled toward whether they participate in these action sports or not.
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Review by Kelly Fraser in KIN 435 (section 1)
According to Boston Herald Sports, professional skateboarder and snowboarder Shaun White is a quite marketable athlete. He’s won numerous X Games Gold Medals and has won a gold medal at the Olympics. Additionally, he continues to push the limits in his extreme sport and raises the bar during every competition he enters. What more can a company looking for a spokesperson or an endorser look? We can understand why White is a “marketing bonanza” by reading Brian Gomez’s article in The Colorado Gazette.
The article is a straightforward read detailing and explaining White’s current sponsorships and how he has continued to use his snowboard to promote himself and other companies at the same time. The article states that White “has 1.8 million fans on Facebook and 756,900 followers on Twitter, and almost any video of him on YouTube is an instant hit - a 2-minute clip of the private halfpipe that Red Bull built for him to use for Olympic training in Silverton has been viewed 3.1 million times”. Quiet frankly, I’m not sure why Shaun doesn’t have more than 5 million fans on Facebook. Seeing as though Facebook now has reached over 500 million fans and the fact that White has become an international extreme athlete sensation over the past five years would make one think that White might increase his followers and fans by now; but, he is only 25 years of age, so he still has many years ahead of him to increase his rock star level status in the U.S. and overseas.
Furthermore, the article correctly explains why Shaun White has become so marketable for top organizations. The author included many necessary facts about his accomplishments in sports and as a spokesman for many firms. It’s easy to understand why Shaun White could potentially be the as big in extreme sports as Michael Jordan or Lance Armstrong were in their sports, respectively. He’s always natural in front of the camera, goes with the flow, and continues to be himself. Companies enjoy athletes that are easily marketable, outgoing, and approachable. “The Flying Tomato” has and will become an instant hit wherever you see him.
Monday, October 24, 2011
"Gatorade gets a dose of Hope in new deal"
From the SportsBusiness Journal
Gatorade has added yet another nationally popular athlete to its already broad and powerful promotional arsenal. In the article “Gatorade gets a dose of Hope in new deal,” Fred Dreier of SportsBusiness Journal reported that Gatorade has signed 30-year-old, Hope Sole, who became a national icon when she led the U.S. women’s national team to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final this past summer. Solo signed a multiyear marketing deal, joining teammate Abby Wambach who has been with Gatorade since 2004. Solo’s agent, Richard Motzkin, explained how significantly the U.S. women’s team’s success in the World Cup contributed to her “staggering” increase in awareness with the general public. Solo’s national popularity following the 2011 World Cup has drawn comparisons to that of Mia Hamm’s prominence in 1999 when she led the U.S. women’s national team to win the World Cup over China. Followers of Solo on Twitter skyrocketed from 8,000 to over 250,000 in just over a week following the 2011 World Cup. The article estimates the deal to be in the low six-figure range per year and Motzkin claims for there to be more marketing deals on the horizon for Solo, as she has already signed a deal with Bank of America. Gatorade has sponsored the U.S. women’s national team since 1999 and one of their marketing representatives stated, “Solo is part of Gatorade’s push to diversify its athlete base.” Solo’s popularity among consumers has placed her on par with Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat on the Davie Brown Index (DBI), as her overall awareness jumped to over 6 percent just in the week leading up to the Women’s World Cup Championship against Japan. According to president of Burns Entertainment, Dough Shabelman, “Solo’s combination of leadership, success on the field, physical attractiveness and a recognizable name give her an opportunity to maintain marketability.” With her large increase in positive publicity, Hope Solo should be a huge marketing success for Gatorade. Gatorade will now be able to implement her into advertising commercials in hopes of broadening their outreach to their desired target market.
Review by Cara Stecher in KIN 435
The article that we did or our sponsorship article project on was an article entitled “Gatorade gets a dose of Hope in new deal.” This article talked about Hope Solo, goalie for the US Women’s Soccer team, and her new deal with Gatorade. The article tells a little bit about the deal, including that deal was worth somewhere in the six figures. The deal is part of Gatorade’s plan to diversify its athlete base, including other signing deals with other athletes competing in surfing, men’s soccer, and swimming. Typically when someone thinks of Gatorade, we think of more mainstream sports such as football, baseball, and basketball. It is smart for Gatorade to diversify the sports that they are beginning to sponsor so that they can reach as many potential consumers as they possibly can. A person who is a surfer or swimmer maybe more inclined to drink Gatorade products if an athlete in their sport is drinking it. Also, soccer is gaining more and more popularity in the United States and could potentially be a major sport within America.
One of the main goals of the article was to describe the marketability of Hope Solo. It talked about her followers on Twitter jumping from 8,000 followers to 250,000 followers in a little over a week. This shows that due to the women’s soccer success at the World Cup these female athletes are gaining more and more attention. Also, it talked about her impact within the sports world. She has a DBI (Davie Brown Index) similar to Dwyane Wade, which is huge because he is a major name within the sports world. She was also on the cover of Sports Illustrated, increasing to her popularity as well.
Another interesting topic that the article discussed was the fact that Solo is gaining attention for more than just her performance on the soccer field. It attributed to her fame mostly for her athletic abilities, but it also credited her physical attractiveness as being a reason why she has gained so much attention so quickly. Which brings up an interesting question, does an athlete’s physical appearance play a part in the marketability of that particular athlete, especially for female athletes? This can certainly be shown in other sports, for example Jennie Finch (softball), Danica Patrick (racing), Anna Kournikova (tennis), etc.
All in all, I think this article was very intriguing and really showed what attributed to Solo’s fame and how quickly she attained it. Gatorade is very smart for signing a deal with her because she is a female athlete and she is a soccer player, which is two markets that could potentially be big money makers for the company.
Review by Joseph Schwartz in KIN 435
Gatorade has added yet another nationally popular athlete to its already broad and powerful promotional arsenal. In the article “Gatorade gets a dose of Hope in new deal,” Fred Dreier of SportsBusiness Journal reported that Gatorade has signed 30-year-old, Hope Sole, who became a national icon when she led the U.S. women’s national team to the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup Final this past summer. Solo signed a multiyear marketing deal, joining teammate Abby Wambach who has been with Gatorade since 2004. Solo’s agent, Richard Motzkin, explained how significantly the U.S. women’s team’s success in the World Cup contributed to her “staggering” increase in awareness with the general public. Solo’s national popularity following the 2011 World Cup has drawn comparisons to that of Mia Hamm’s prominence in 1999 when she led the U.S. women’s national team to win the World Cup over China. Followers of Solo on Twitter skyrocketed from 8,000 to over 250,000 in just over a week following the 2011 World Cup. The article estimates the deal to be in the low six-figure range per year and Motzkin claims for there to be more marketing deals on the horizon for Solo, as she has already signed a deal with Bank of America. Gatorade has sponsored the U.S. women’s national team since 1999 and one of their marketing representatives stated, “Solo is part of Gatorade’s push to diversify its athlete base.” Solo’s popularity among consumers has placed her on par with Dwayne Wade of the Miami Heat on the Davie Brown Index (DBI), as her overall awareness jumped to over 6 percent just in the week leading up to the Women’s World Cup Championship against Japan. According to president of Burns Entertainment, Dough Shabelman, “Solo’s combination of leadership, success on the field, physical attractiveness and a recognizable name give her an opportunity to maintain marketability.” With her large increase in positive publicity, Hope Solo should be a huge marketing success for Gatorade. Gatorade will now be able to implement her into advertising commercials in hopes of broadening their outreach to their desired target market.
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Review by Cara Stecher in KIN 435
The article that we did or our sponsorship article project on was an article entitled “Gatorade gets a dose of Hope in new deal.” This article talked about Hope Solo, goalie for the US Women’s Soccer team, and her new deal with Gatorade. The article tells a little bit about the deal, including that deal was worth somewhere in the six figures. The deal is part of Gatorade’s plan to diversify its athlete base, including other signing deals with other athletes competing in surfing, men’s soccer, and swimming. Typically when someone thinks of Gatorade, we think of more mainstream sports such as football, baseball, and basketball. It is smart for Gatorade to diversify the sports that they are beginning to sponsor so that they can reach as many potential consumers as they possibly can. A person who is a surfer or swimmer maybe more inclined to drink Gatorade products if an athlete in their sport is drinking it. Also, soccer is gaining more and more popularity in the United States and could potentially be a major sport within America.
One of the main goals of the article was to describe the marketability of Hope Solo. It talked about her followers on Twitter jumping from 8,000 followers to 250,000 followers in a little over a week. This shows that due to the women’s soccer success at the World Cup these female athletes are gaining more and more attention. Also, it talked about her impact within the sports world. She has a DBI (Davie Brown Index) similar to Dwyane Wade, which is huge because he is a major name within the sports world. She was also on the cover of Sports Illustrated, increasing to her popularity as well.
Another interesting topic that the article discussed was the fact that Solo is gaining attention for more than just her performance on the soccer field. It attributed to her fame mostly for her athletic abilities, but it also credited her physical attractiveness as being a reason why she has gained so much attention so quickly. Which brings up an interesting question, does an athlete’s physical appearance play a part in the marketability of that particular athlete, especially for female athletes? This can certainly be shown in other sports, for example Jennie Finch (softball), Danica Patrick (racing), Anna Kournikova (tennis), etc.
All in all, I think this article was very intriguing and really showed what attributed to Solo’s fame and how quickly she attained it. Gatorade is very smart for signing a deal with her because she is a female athlete and she is a soccer player, which is two markets that could potentially be big money makers for the company.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
"UGG Australia Launches Campaign Targeting Men"
From AllBusiness.com
Review by Brad Harner in KIN 435
UGG Australia, a company originally known for women’s boots, made a bold investment in a new collection of shoes targeted towards men. The company decided they needed growth and the way they were going to go about this was to introduce a new line for men. Along with the risk of starting this new line for men, they also partnered with Tom Brady to market the product to men. The new line of shoes has people talking, especially fans of the NFL. NFL fans are venting about the UGG commercial they saw, featuring Tom Brady, on their televisions during the first Monday Night Football game. UGG strategically bought this time slot because they knew there would be millions of men watching the first Monday Night Football game of the season. The company chose Brady to endorse their new collection of shoes because they believe he is a well liked, popular, athlete that can influence fans into buying the product. Constance X. Rishwain, the president of UGG Australia said, “Working with Tom allows us to celebrate the heritage of UGG and at the same time introduce it to a new generation of modern men like him who appreciate great design paired with the UGG ‘inside’ experience” The commercial attempts to stick with the modern theme of the shoe by getting hip hop artist Mos Def to accompany the “Steps” of the commercial. They came up with a title for the commercial as well to keep it simple and trendy by naming it “Steps”.
Review by Brad Harner in KIN 435
UGG Australia, a company originally known for women’s boots, made a bold investment in a new collection of shoes targeted towards men. The company decided they needed growth and the way they were going to go about this was to introduce a new line for men. Along with the risk of starting this new line for men, they also partnered with Tom Brady to market the product to men. The new line of shoes has people talking, especially fans of the NFL. NFL fans are venting about the UGG commercial they saw, featuring Tom Brady, on their televisions during the first Monday Night Football game. UGG strategically bought this time slot because they knew there would be millions of men watching the first Monday Night Football game of the season. The company chose Brady to endorse their new collection of shoes because they believe he is a well liked, popular, athlete that can influence fans into buying the product. Constance X. Rishwain, the president of UGG Australia said, “Working with Tom allows us to celebrate the heritage of UGG and at the same time introduce it to a new generation of modern men like him who appreciate great design paired with the UGG ‘inside’ experience” The commercial attempts to stick with the modern theme of the shoe by getting hip hop artist Mos Def to accompany the “Steps” of the commercial. They came up with a title for the commercial as well to keep it simple and trendy by naming it “Steps”.
My opinion
of this new collection, introduced by UGG Australia, is that they have done
everything they can for the product to catch on. Whether or not this product
actually becomes popular is something that we will have to wait and see.
Personally, I do not believe NFL fans were the ones to target because most
people watching football are not as modern and trendy as Tom Brady.
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Review by Patrick Pelletier in KIN 435
The article I chose to read was titled UGG Australia Launches Campaign Targeting Men, and was published on AllBusiness.com. Opening with a nationally televised commercial during ESPN’s Monday Night Football, UGG Australia will target men using NFL quarterback Tom Brady. UGG has high hopes and expectations for this new campaign, but it will be interesting to see how using an NFL superstar will help accomplish their goal to reach a new market.
UGG Australia’s main goal in partnering with Brady is to increase the popularity of its new men’s collection of footwear. What better way to do that then use arguably one of the most popular players in America’s most popular professional sport. The NFL fan base is a huge area of opportunity for any company and UGG is trying to capitalize on it. President Constance X. Rishwain said in the article that: “launching our men's campaign with TV illustrates the commitment we have to this initiative and to our partnership with Tom Brady." This shows that the company as a whole is dedicated to the success of this campaign. However, it may not be completely up to them.
The audience UGG Australia is trying to reach is going to be very difficult to penetrate. There are going to be a limited number of men watching the NFL that are interested in wearing these boots or that have even heard of the company. In my opinion the campaign overall won’t have a significant impact on the popularity of this collection. There are going to be people that will buy these new shoes because they associate them with Tom Brady. I think that is where most of the new sales will come from. The commercial aired on Monday Night Football will continued to be shown and I think it will have more of an impact on the casual football fan and those that just know who Brady is.
This campaign being attempted by UGG Australia definitely shows their desire to get more men wearing their product. Targeting the NFL is a great way to do this but they will most likely not get the die-hard fans to wear them. However, I think they chose the right player to endorse them because Brady has enough recognition around casual fans and those that aren’t fans to influence what people think about when they make purchasing decisions.
UGG Australia’s main goal in partnering with Brady is to increase the popularity of its new men’s collection of footwear. What better way to do that then use arguably one of the most popular players in America’s most popular professional sport. The NFL fan base is a huge area of opportunity for any company and UGG is trying to capitalize on it. President Constance X. Rishwain said in the article that: “launching our men's campaign with TV illustrates the commitment we have to this initiative and to our partnership with Tom Brady." This shows that the company as a whole is dedicated to the success of this campaign. However, it may not be completely up to them.
The audience UGG Australia is trying to reach is going to be very difficult to penetrate. There are going to be a limited number of men watching the NFL that are interested in wearing these boots or that have even heard of the company. In my opinion the campaign overall won’t have a significant impact on the popularity of this collection. There are going to be people that will buy these new shoes because they associate them with Tom Brady. I think that is where most of the new sales will come from. The commercial aired on Monday Night Football will continued to be shown and I think it will have more of an impact on the casual football fan and those that just know who Brady is.
This campaign being attempted by UGG Australia definitely shows their desire to get more men wearing their product. Targeting the NFL is a great way to do this but they will most likely not get the die-hard fans to wear them. However, I think they chose the right player to endorse them because Brady has enough recognition around casual fans and those that aren’t fans to influence what people think about when they make purchasing decisions.
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