Turkish Airlines Inks FC Barcelona's Messi To Endorsement Deal, Debuts Ad With Kobe

Turkish Airlines on Thursday named La Liga club FC Barcelona F Lionel Messi a global brand ambassador. Messi joins Lakers G Kobe Bryant and tennis player Caroline Wozniacki as the company's global brand ambassadors (Turkish Airlines). MARKETING ESPORTIVO noted Turkish Airlines will be replaced at the end of the season by Qatar Airways as FCB's main sponsor. The signing of Messi is a "very intelligent move" by the airline as it allows it to indirectly maintain ties to the FCB brand (MKTESPORTIVO, 12/6). Meanwhile, in L.A., Melissa Rohlin noted Turkish Airlines released a commercial that features Bryant and Messi “competing for a kid's attention.” The kid in the ad “walks back and forth on an airplane as Bryant and Messi each try to impress him.” Messi kicks the ball in place, using “some fancy footwork,” while Bryant responds by “passing the ball through his legs over and over again as they're extended in the air.” The kid “eventually walks away from both men to eat some ice cream” (LATIMES.com, 12/6).