Posts Tagged ‘Ian Thorpe’

The Fine Line

Wednesday, March 3rd, 2010

The Australian public are a fickle bunch. We want our sport stars to walk a tightrope. And if they step off the line, boy are we disappointed.

If a representative of the Australian public sat down with an athlete, they would give the athlete this advice:

  • Be the best BUT don’t tell everyone you’re the best
  • Stand up for yourself BUT don’t be a bully
  • Have a wholesome image BUT don’t forget to have a personality
  • Be confident BUT don’t be arrogant
  • Take risks BUT don’t make mistakes
  • Be a team player BUT stand out
  • Be charitable BUT make it a charity I’m interested in
  • Be available to the media BUT don’t overexpose yourself
  • Speak well in interviews BUT don’t be a robot
  • Have an interesting life story BUT don’t bring out the skeletons in your closet
  • Attract advertisers and bring money into your sport BUT don’t sell my kids sugary foods
  • Push yourself & train hard BUT don’t get injured

I could go on but I think you get the point.

The athletes that can follow this impossible advice are the ones rewarded with the popularity and sponsorship. Think Pat Rafter or Ian Thorpe for example.

The problem is most sportspeople can’t walk this fine line because it’s just too bloody hard.

C’mon Australia, let’s be less judgemental about our heroes.

It would be very boring if every athlete went by the rulebook when it came to conduct on and off the field. We want variety and a few characters. Heroes and villains. That’s one reason I love sport so much. It’s real. And in the real world, the people are real. Cut them a little slack.

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The Sponsorship Pie

Wednesday, July 29th, 2009

In my last post, I talked about playing to your strengths. So how does this relate to athlete management?

Well, as an athlete manager, you shouldn’t waste all your time improving an athlete’s weaknesses to make them more marketable. Rather, you should play on their strengths to own a niche category.

Not every athlete fits the Ian Thorpe / Pat Rafter mould. Don’t try to make your athlete something they are not.

Embrace your athlete’s true colours. But shine a spotlight on their strengths.

You see, what one sponsor perceives to be a weakness, is another sponsor’s gain.

If your athlete has a bad boy image (within context) that appeal’s to females then why not capitalise on that? The other approach is to burn an enormous amount of energy trying to change perceptions – only to mislead the public and sponsors.

This strategy will let you grab a piece of the sponsorship pie, be it a smaller piece but its better than going hungry.

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Athlete or Celebrity?

Friday, May 15th, 2009

Take two athletes. One features regularly on the back pages. The other shares time between the back pages and the social pages.

Which athlete do you think is more attractive for sponsors?

The second athlete of course. They have what advertiser’s call ‘reach’. They reach more demographics’ than the athlete who remains on the back pages.

There is no doubting the celebrity factor was a key influencer in Gillette’s appointment of Michael Clarke as an ambassador. This is Gillette’s first Aussie ambassador so you can be sure the decision was well researched. I’m guessing the bulk of Clarke’s responsibilities with Gillette lay in the use of his name, image and likeness for print ads and a possible TVC.

That means Gillette will look to take out ad space across as many mediums as possible. The more ‘reach’ an ambassador has the more cut through for Gillette.

Razors appeal to the fashion conscious guy as much as they do to the cricket fan. With Clarke’s celebrity profile, Gillette can run their ads in both Alpha Magazine and Men’s Style – with much the same impact.

Being a celebrity is nothing to hide from as long as you become a sports star before you become a celebrity. This gives your ‘celebrity status’ credibility. Ian Thorpe took a similar path and it seems Clarke is doing the same.

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10 Things That Make an Australian Athlete Marketable?

Wednesday, May 6th, 2009

1. Sport – a national sport with free to air coverage and a global presence (eg. tennis, golf, cricket, football, swimming). Rugby League players for example don’t command big sponsorships because they appeal primarily to Sydney and Brisbane audiences only. That doesn’t mean they can’t earn good money but they’ll never be Australia’s most marketable athlete. Think Ricky Ponting

2. Winner – Australians love a winner. And the more fierce the competition (underdog status) the better. An athlete can have every quality in the book but if they aren’t winning then forget it. How you win is also an important factor. Is the athlete sinking 20ft putts like Tiger Woods to win, taking 5 wickets on the last day of Test Match like Shane Warne or breaking world records? Think Ian Thorpe

3. Good Looks – This is not an absolute must but don’t underestimate the power of good looks. This attribute appeals strongly to fans not to mention brands looking to invest in athletes. Why do you think movies use good looking actors and actresses? Sometimes an athlete can build a career on good looks alone but this will be short lived if you aren’t doing the point above. Think Stephanie Rice.

4. Media Skills – does the athlete present well in front of the camera? How do they stand, do they make strong eye contact, do they project their voice with clarity? Do they understand and respect the media’s role in their sport? And do they do it all with a warm personality and a smile on their face? Think Lucas Neill.

5. Clean Image – are they someone you could take home to meet the parents? Do they demonstrate strong values? Avoiding drinking, swearing or smoking is a winning combination here. Think Adam Gilchrist.

6. Gracious – everyone likes a winner but Australians don’t react well to arrogance or big headiness. You only have to look at the recent criticism of the Australian Cricket team. Personally I like the way they play but it seems the masses don’t so if you want to avoid tall poppy syndrome, be super humble. Think Pat Rafter.

7. Great with Fans – fans pay the athletes wages. So it makes sense the public respond well to athletes who really appreciate their fans. The most marketable athletes don’t avoid their fans, they embrace them and do their best to connect with them on different levels. It’s all about giving back to the people who support them. Think Brett Lee.

8. Integrity – athletes who stand up for what they believe in and who are consistent with their image gain respect from the public. A good example is an athlete who chooses only to endorse brands and products they really believe in. Think Cadel Evans.

9. Charitable – if you’re an athlete earning big money doing something you love then the public expect you to give back to the community. It can’t be all sponsor appearances and paid gigs, people love when an athlete uses their celebrity and wealth to benefit a greater cause. Think Glen McGrath.

10. The X-Factor – or originality / uniqueness. This can make or break some athletes. It’s easy to be a clone but being unique makes you stand out. Having a distinctive presence, charm or edge to your personality is incredibly powerful. Think Greg Norman.

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Posted in Cricket, Football, Media, Sponsorship, Tennis | 7 Comments »

Open Season

Tuesday, January 27th, 2009

There is no doubt Australia is struggling for another tennis superstar…..in fact we’re craving one! Just look at the media attention afforded to Bernard Tomic and Jelena Dokic at this year’s Australia Open. Dokic’s story is a great one and it’s good to see the media and public embrace her once again, but was the media frenzy over the top? There is definitely a huge craving for a genuine international superstar across all sports, not just tennis. Look at the latest Sweeny Sports report and you will find many of the Australia’s most marketable athletes are in fact retired. They include guys like Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett, Glen McGrath, Steve Waugh and Pat Rafter (who is currently featured in TVC’s for Bonds and 1800 Flowers to coincide with the Australia Open). Truly marketable athletes, those with the talent, good looks and strong values are few and far between. That’s why iconic retirees are still being used across different marketing platforms, that is until the next young gun steps up. Tennis is crying out for one so when that young athlete does pop, sit back and watch the media (and sponsors) go crazy.

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Posted in Media, Sponsorship, Tennis | 1 Comment »