It makes sense that athletes should be passionate about the products / services / brands they endorse. And no, using the product isn’t the same as being passionate about it.
Brands love it when their consumers talk positively to other consumers about their products and services. So when a brand sees, reads or hears a celebrity talking about their product in the media they take extra notice.
It’s not uncommon for potential sponsors to come knocking when they know a celebrity is passionate about their brand. So the big question is, how do you communicate this passion to the marketplace? Well you don’t. This is the athlete’s job.
As a manager, you can tell a potential sponsor the passion your client has for their product (this is common in any sponsorship proposal). But it doesn’t have the same impact as the athlete plugging the product in the media.
Before you debate the merit of giving brands free plugs in the media, think about the risk verse reward. Don’t get me wrong, free plugs should be discreet and used only once but nonetheless they should be put out there. This lets the brand know they have a high profile fan and it momentarily shows the power of having a public ambassador. “Wow, that was great endorsement, how does our brand get more of that?”
When looking at individual sponsorship, brands value this ‘passion’ from ambassadors over anything else. So don’t be shy, educate your athletes on the benefits of talking about their favourite products and services in the media. What do you have to lose?
