Marketing in the sport industry – is athlete endorsement still enough?

As a proper ad-junkie, I spend many (free) hours surfing the web looking for smart, creative, out-of-the-ordinary, brilliant and also fun to watch advertisements.

There are many good adverts out there. So, of course, money lets your creativity surpasses limits and your imagination leads the way. So here is my opinion: Although car adverts are very expensive, most of the time I find them boring and so I think sports commercial are the best.

So, you will ask, what makes it ‘special’? Most of the time, it is the famous athlete in the advert.

Having Derrick Rose endorsing a promotional event in London for sneackers was a great idea from Adidas marketers. Not only the video was great but the concept of it was genius: have a look!

                            

      Jump with Derrick Rose

However, isn't it hard for a normal customer to "identify" him/herself to the brand via an athlete, that excels in sport? I could be wearing the same sneakers as Ronaldo, I don't think this would give me the same skills.. 

So what? Celebrity endorsement is not a good promotional tool anymore? 

I think it still provides you with this great competitive edge, but customers might feel the need to feel closer to the brand. Nike has taken this to another level and demonstrated they could show the consumer how to associate more with them. In 2 ways:

- 'The right balance': Endorsing a celebrity, but not an athlete, and to put her (Ellie Goulding) in an everyday activity: going for a jog, in her city's street, during her work day.

               
                              'Music runs Ellie' advert

- 'The right mix': Endless possibilities: featuring women challenging themselves, swimming to the bottom of the ocean and competing on the Olympic stage for gymnastics. Nike creates a community of people by including them in their advert, along with super star like Jessie J and famous athlete such as Piqué. To make them feel they belong here, with the brand, as much as athletes and superstars do.

                           

      Jessie J and a women wearing Nike in 'Endless possibilities' advert

Nevertheless, isn’t it a bit risky to “lend” your brand identity to a single person/team?

I think of Tiger Woods, but also and more recently, the French football team, involved in a pimping affair. A recipe for disaster: a handful of players, and, a not so discreet hooker named Zahia, taking advantage of this all media frenzy.

And, this kind of scandal, we can all agree is far from everyday life/concerns of customers… 

Although, star/athlete endorsements are sometimes necessary for a brand to raise awareness, when this point is reached, I suggest companies should look up at Nike as an example and turn  their focus to what really matters: the person who are going to purchase and are willing to associate themselves to your brand value & identity.

Zahia in the french media after the scandal

In a nutshell, companies should understand that, to walk the bridge up to their customers, they have to show they understand their real interests & motivations. 

Brand identification, emotional attachment is what sports industry companies look for when improving their adverts dynamics. 
The best motto: The real star is you…

                         Piqué and a women wearing Nike in 'Endless possibilities' advert