Athlete Endorsements On The Product They Represent

Marketing Athletes
The Effect of Athlete Endorsements on the Product They Represent
Research Concept

I intend to study the positive and negative effects that athlete endorsements have on the product and the brand itself. In being the huge sports fan that I am, I have seen many athlete endorsements become extremely successful. A great example would be David Beckham’s endorsement with Adidas. However, I have also seen some athlete endorsements go terribly wrong, like Terry Keane’s endorsement with 7-Up. These two compelling examples inspire me to learn and understand the effects that star athletes can have on a brand itself and the specific products that they endorse. To learn everything about these effects, I will conduct my research
Some attributes that athletes bring to the table when it comes to endorsing a product is that they are recognizable, normally well liked, and most of the time they have large followings. Unfortunately endorsing athletes can also be very risky. Financial issues, exclusive product representation, and negative publicity can hurt the company. This article first focuses on the advantages that athlete endorsements have on the company. The fact that they are recognizable gives them a huge advantage over other spokespersons, for example an average product user. The article states that people are much more likely to watch an add as opposed to changing that channel if it contains a famous athlete. Also the article says that people are more inclined to choose goods and services if they are promoted by
These are financial implications, effects on store image, and effects on consumer/retailer relationships. The article says that the appropriate match between the athlete and the brand is crucial. An appropriate match is found when the athlete shares common values and personality traits as those of the store and its consumers. If an athlete were to engage in socially unacceptable behavior it may affect store image which in effect could negatively change consumer’s perception towards a certain brand. This example of poor behavior affects both the store image and the consumer/retailer relationship. The beginning of the article “Sports Celebrity Endorsements in Retail Products Advertising” has extremely good information. The article goes in depth in describing the positive and negative effects of endorsing celebrity athletes. When the athlete behaves and matches the product well enough, endorsing said athlete can be great. But if a brand endorses an athlete who may break a law or do something socially unacceptable, chances are it may result in a loss for the brand or