Keith Marshall’s Post

This week our chart looks at how the world’s highest paid athletes make their money. With sponsorship making up such a large share of some athlete’s income, we explore what this means for corporates and how to make such partnerships a success. #sportsmarketing #sponsorship #corporatereputation   https://lnkd.in/eare-r54

Roger Federer was 5th highest earning sports star in 2023, earning $95 million – and he didn’t lift a racket. With Ronaldo and LeBron James also earning huge sums off the field last year, the market for sports sponsorship is in rude health. Why is this and what are the implications for corporates? The global market for sports sponsorship has been estimated at roughly $100 billion in 2023 and is predicted to keep growing exponentially in the years ahead. Sports stars, teams, events and stadiums are all highly sought after assets and with the deep pockets of betting companies and streaming giants increasingly entering the space it is easy to understand why the sums available are so vast. For corporate communicators, sports sponsorships can be an important part of the communications mix. The right sponsorship can enhance brand visibility, boost reputation and – at their very best – convey a message on corporate values that can be otherwise difficult to land. Nevertheless, history is littered with examples of failed sporting sponsorships and to be successful there are a handful of key rules to follow: -       Partner with a sporting event, team or person that is aligned with your values, purpose and strategy. -       Carry out extensive due diligence on potential reputation risks. This is particularly true when sponsoring an individual.   -       Use economic modelling to forecast the potential impact and then use measurement to assess ROI from the partnership. With the Masters golf starting today it feels appropriate to draw on the challenges of Tiger Woods in 2009/10 and the mass exodus of sponsors that resulted as an example of what can happen when things go wrong. In the same breath, when Woods was at his best there have been few athletes that could move the needle of public perception in the same way. And while Tiger’s latest $500 million Nike deal has recently come to an end, we can be certain that there will be no shortage of sponsors queuing up for a spot on his trademark red polo should he make it to Sunday this week. #sportsmarketing #sponsorship #corporatereputation

Here’s what you can learn from Louis Vuitton’s Federer x Nadal campaign: Released a couple of days ago, this is part of their long-running 'Core Values’ campaign that famously included Messi and Ronaldo in their chess face-off last year, and previously Pelé, Maradona and Zidane. Here’s why it’s genius: - The products are barely noticeable - instead the brand subtly integrates itself into a larger narrative that inspires & uplifts & resonates on a human level. - By continuing a long-running campaign that previously featured other sports legends, Louis Vuitton leverages existing emotional capital and also create a sense of legacy & hype around their ‘Core Values’ campaigns. Strengthening the narrative’s credibility. - The picture says a thousand words. From symbolising optimism, positive energy, excellence, precision and a relentless quest to surpass their limits. You feel something deep inside. - There was just one main asset (this image) that was both high-impact & sharable. - Obviously, they are both cultural icons; but their relationship in sport where they were in fierce competition for over a decade, and the fact they are now close friends, makes seeing them together in one shot smiling, even more powerful & meaningful. - The choice of location represents the pinnacle of success and achievement, aligning perfectly with the brand's values and the legendary status of the athletes featured. They are on the summit they’ve reached. - The tagline ‘There are Journeys that turn into Legends’ ties everything in the campaign together - the brand, narrative, visuals, athletes, emotions. - Despite Louis Vuitton’s high-status, expensive & inaccessible prices & products; they’ve been able to connect to that ‘striving for greatness’ characteristic within each of us, bringing us closer to the brand, while simultaneously maintaining their prestige. Great brands realise it’s not about the product. It’s about tapping into the human spirit and the stories that connect us all. And creating emotional impact in marketing. 

When one thinks of Air Jordans, two images come to mind. Nike and Michael Jordan. Sports stars being endorsed by companies is ubiquitous around the world. It was no wonder that Grays-Nicolls decided to sponsor Babar Azam back in 2020. At that point in time, the company had no idea that Azam would go on to become Cricketer of the Year and reach the pinnacle of rankings due to his batting. It seems obvious that the company would use its brand to promote itself in Pakistan. Especially when they have a company already producing hockey sticks locally and catering to the market. It would seem like a perfect fit that the company would produce and sell its products locally. Grays of Cambridge is a Pakistani company which was established back in 1964 and started manufacturing world-class hockey with Grays International. These sticks have a history of being top-notch in terms of their quality. The lack of presence of Grays products in the local market is due to the unaffordability of its own products. Read this week’s story to see how the company has become a victim of its own success. https://lnkd.in/d4PKbqvn

Carlos Alcaraz is unmarketable. Yes, he’s an unbelievable tennis player, but he will never drive significant product sales or brand awareness for Nike to justify how much they pay him. However, that's not the primary reason he's a Nike athlete. Brands invest in athletes for various reasons. Nike's strategy has always been to sign the best athletes in every sport. When the best athletes wear Nike products, consumers perceive those products as the best. This is why you often see “Made to the exact specifications of championship athletes” on all their products…or at least you used to… 😉 But the most valuable athletes to a brand are those who are not only great at their sport but also align with the brand’s core values and possess the charisma to authentically communicate those values to the world. I’d rather have an athlete who isn’t the best in the world but is charismatic, charming, and aligns with my brand's core values over the world’s best athlete who lacks those qualities any day. Nike consumers don’t care if Carlos is the best tennis player; they would care if they saw similarities with their own lived experiences. Unfortunately, no one has been able to bring that out in him yet. Advantage Sports Marketing Group #MarketingStrategy #BrandBuilding #SportsMarketing #AthleteEndorsement #Nike #CarlosAlcaraz #BrandValues #ConsumerEngagement #MarketingInsights #Tennis #BrandStrategy #CharismaInMarketing #AthleteMarketing

This is great insight on brand alignment of positioning and core values. A lot of takeaways here that can be applied to other industries and influencer strategy.

Sport: The Biggest Wins Are In The Heart There has been much debate in the agency about sport and an increasing emphasis on winning. “If you don’t want to win you’ve already lost” screamed Nike’s Olympic campaign. The reality is the Nike campaign is driven from real insight. With the boom in sport betting the need to win has been amplified. Premier League data shows that there are less shots being struck from outside the box as teams refine the optimum way to win. Anthony Joshua in his defeat to Daniel Dubois was deemed to have made a huge professional error not to take a 5 minute break after he was clearly hit below the belt and take the chance to clear his head. Winning is increasingly the judge and jury on sports performance. It is a perfectly defendable position to take in a sports campaign in 2024. There is a human unpredictabilty in the emotional connection to sport which is greater even than winning. It is also powerful for brands. Not every brand can sponsor the winners. Every brand can sponsor how sport moves you. In F1 Senna is by no means close to having the most F1 championships, winning 3, yet he is still regarded by many as the greatest driver. What makes him the greatest was his incredible skill levels and courage. Senna moved people. In football many still regard the Brazil World Cup 82 team as the greatest team. They didn’t win anything. Not even close. They played the game with such joy and flair, weaving mesmerising passages of play, shooting first time all the time, never passing to a team mate until they had individually dribbled past at least one player. Brazil won the World Cup in 94 and no one talks about that team. In 82 Brazil won the hearts of fans. They showed that football could be as beautiful and expressive as the greatest music or the best form of dancing. Interestingly the legacy of this was captured brilliantly years later in the Nike Airport advert. In snooker Jimmy “the whirlwind” White failed to win the World Championship yet is many fans favourite player still. Why? Because the level of skill and flamboyance he showed around the table was unmatched. Jimmy didn’t play the percentages he played from his heart and produced snooker that moved people. Arsenal’s goal keeper Raya made a save last week which many considered the grestest they had seen. I don’t support Arsenal but this save moved me. Anthony Joshua’s legacy is enhanced not diminished by not going down with a fake injury even though it may have given him more of a chance to win. The true essence of sport is above winning. You don’t just see greatness you feel greatness. If you job is like ours, finding ways to communicate the essence of sport for brands, it is at the intersection of human emotion and human performance that pays back the most. Enjoy this clip of Brazil below in 82. I hope it moves you. Andy Fowler Matthew Charlton Maria McHugh #sport #creativity #football #sportsinsights

In the latest #SportsTicker, we provide bite-size updates from the #sports industry including: 📺 VAR-tually instant offside decisions 🏃 A venture with legs ⚽ Adidas done deal 🏎️ McLaren Racing to the future 🧃 Wrexham gets thirsty #SportLaw

Not many business deals with athletes turn out this successful. A few that come to mind are: Tiger Woods and Nike Roger Federer and Uniqlo Lionel Messi and Adidas Which deal do you think has had the most impact? #madovermarketing #advertisingandmarketing #business #sports #michaeljordan #nike #airjordan #strategy #personalbranding #advertising #marketing #socialmedia #digitalmarketing

This new Anthony Edwards & adidas commercial is amazing for a few reasons. 1. Timely Releasing the commercial 1 day after Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves were eliminated from the playoffs is incredibly well timed. The topic of the commercial being about "hate" after he and his team were beaten 4-1 in a best of 7 series is a great way to involve your commercial in the conversation. The use of actual receipts is a clever way to show Adidas and Edwards as relevant and culturally aware, using terms and messaging that speak to their audience. 2. Authentic The reason Ant is beloved is because how authentic he is. The script of this commercial feels incredibly real and true to how I would expect Anthony Edwards to talk with his friend while shooting around. Doubling down on it but using profanity in the commercial which again feels very authentic and brings the audience closer to Edwards the person. 3. Visuals Very simple yet engaging visuals. The color and backdrop are easy to digest so all we are left to do is focus on the copy and messaging. The quick cuts keep the audience engaged and and displays Edward's full package of cool swag and athletic ability. This feels like a commercial Michael Jordan would have done if he were still playing basketball today. Which is not on accident, the comparisons between Edwards and Jordan's game have been happening all season and this commercial leans into the comparison enough that it feels like a Jordan commercial all while still making it unique to Anthony Edwards. Well done Adidas and Ant! Keep the content coming. Excited to see the campaign continue. #branding #SportsMarketing