Posts Tagged ‘Stephanie Rice’

Brand Building Part 1

Friday, May 8th, 2009

Brand trust and loyalty takes years to build, sometimes lifetimes. But a high profile athlete has the ability to build a successful brand overnight.

As an example let’s compare two brands.

1.    Chiko Roll
2.    Stephanie Rice

One has been around for nearly 60 years, the other about three years. One has spent millions on marketing and advertising, the other has coasted on free publicity. Yet both brands are equally recognised in the public eye and hold much the same loyalty and respect from consumers. How did this happen?

The emotion of sport backed by huge media exposure makes it easy for an athlete to achieve what most brands take 20 years to do.

The biggest challenge for an athlete though, is to change, adapt and evolve to prolong their shelf life. Athletes retire, they stop winning, they grow older. Suddenly all the qualities that made them attractive no longer exist.

In my next post I will tell you the secret to prolonging the life of an athlete’s brand.

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Posted in Strategy | No Comments »

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 | 4 Comments »

Getting Into Bed with TV

Tuesday, March 31st, 2009

Australian media deals between TV networks and athletes are extremely lucrative (think Stephanie Rice and Channel Seven) but there are pros and cons. Let’s look at some of them.

Pros

  • Lucrative multi year contracts
  • Great exposure for the athlete that is nearly always positive
  • Broadens the athletes appeal as they are used across different programming
  • Invaluable on-camera experience which helps their presenting and media skills
  • Opportunity to cross promote the athlete’s other sponsors
  • Gives you an excuse to knock back other / unwanted media requests
  • Can help win potential sponsors (they see it as a channel for free and regular publicity)
  • Can help ease the athlete into a media career when they retire


Cons

  • Limits the athletes exposure across other media channels
  • Pushed into programming that may not fit the ‘brand’ of your athlete
  • Media burnout from appeasing the network + all other print, radio requests
  • Creates rivalries with other networks (they can turn against your athlete)
  • Creates friction with the media plans of other sponsors / club / sporting body
  • Disrupts your own media plan as the athlete is always on call for the network
  • You can’t sell paid exclusives to other media outlets
  • Can turn off potential sponsors by limiting the reach of PR campaigns

Personally I think the money on offer from the networks outweighs the cons. But it’s still important to evaluate everything when considering these deals.

For example, a media deal would suit an established athlete who is nearing the end of their career. It keeps them in the spotlight (which is good for sponsors), and helps develop their TV skills which can give them a crack at a career in the media when they do retire.

On the other hand, such a deal might restrict the up and coming athlete and can even make them look bad because they are inexperienced or pushed into uncomfortable roles. Just some points to think about when your evaluating your next media deal.

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Posted in Communication, Media, Sponsorship, Strategy | No Comments »