Sports and marketing seem to go hand in hand. Remember the Burger King commercial featuring Shaq? And the “Be like Mike” Gatorade commercials? When it comes down to it, consumers like to see products that relate to their passions and interests. What better way to do that than by tapping into the mass popularity of famous athletes? If done right, it can do marketing wonders.
Here are a few examples of athletes sporting different products:
Vicks and Drew Brees
This back-to-back combo of recent commercials for Vicks products features NFL quarterback Drew Brees. Who would equate Vicks with the rough and toughness demonstrated in these ads?
Hanes and MJ
This is classic MJ in an early Hanes commercial along with his father and then wife Juanita. It’s got funny family appeal with an underlying message: Wearing Hanes makes you sexy.
Nike and Soccer
Soccer is a sport that pulls at the heartstrings of fanatics worldwide. In this ad, Nike features renowned soccer players from different countries, demonstrating how athletes break into pop culture celebrity status and of course, the advertising world.
Marketing via sports stars doesn’t come without its defects. Advertisers pulled Tiger Woods from ads when his personal life turned scandalous and their brands were at stake.
What’s your favorite commercial sporting an athlete?
