Speedo, Puma Buzz Overshadows Efforts From Bigger Competitors
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U.S. Swimming Performance Provides
Boost For Speedo, LZR Racer Suit |
Nike and adidas came into the Beijing Games as the biggest sponsors of both national teams and athletes, but "smaller competitors such as Speedo and Puma achieved greater surges in awareness and buzz by backing a smaller group of athletes who just happened to dominate the games," according to Jeremy Mullman of AD AGE. Speedo "scored the games' biggest coup" by sponsoring U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps, as his haul of eight Gold Medals "dominated coverage of the games." Meanwhile, swimmer Jason Lezak, the "hero of two of Mr. Phelps' relay victories was a Nike-endorsing swimmer ... wearing a Speedo LZR racer suit with Nike's blessing." A study by Zeta Interactive indicated that Speedo's success "led to a 128% boost in global online chatter about the brand." Nike and adidas "figured to loom larger once the games climbed out of the pool and onto the track, but Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt -- a Puma endorser -- shattered those plans." Meanwhile, a YouGovPolimetrix study showed that of the companies that entered the Games as "household names, ... Visa posted the biggest gains, particularly during the first week of competition," as its "One World" campaign "seemed to resonate" with viewers. However, McDonald's was "relatively flat" (AD AGE, 8/25 issue).
TOO MUCH HYPE? The PORTLAND BUSINESS JOURNAL's Erik Siemers reports while there is "little question that Phelps will rake in a healthy endorsement bounty from his Beijing performance, some question [his] value." Phelps' deal with Speedo expires next year, and there is speculation he could command $40-50M from Nike. Univ. of Oregon Warsaw Sports Marketing Center Managing Dir Paul Swangard: "I just remain comfortably skeptical that he could command that kind of pricepoint by any manufacturer unless there's some new paradigm shift I haven't heard of." Nike officials, "as is customary, say little about whether the company plans to seek an endorsement deal with Phelps" (PORTLAND BUSINESS JOURNAL, 8/22 issue).
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Great Britain's Olympic Medalists Could See
Marketing Opportunities Ahead Of 2012 |
RIDING THE WAVE TO 2012: In London, Bird & Hamilton report many of Great Britain's Olympic medal-winning athletes "are set to make millions of pounds out of their newfound fame as respected household names as the nation's obsession with the Games mounts in the run-up to 2012." Sponsorship and marketing experts "claim that leading companies will be jostling to secure endorsement deals, yet many of the medallists appear oblivious to the opportunities open to them." M&C Saatchi Sports & Entertainment CEO Steve Martin said, "The potential is simply huge now, particularly because we have the Olympics on our doorstep. Big brands are going to be falling over themselves because these people are such good ambassadors for their sports. And we are going to be obsessed with the Olympics for four years" (LONDON TIMES, 8/26).
SWIMMING LAPS: Gold Medal-winning U.S. swimmer Cullen Jones appeared on Fox News this morning to promote “The Cullen Jones Diversity Tour,” where he hopes to educate children, especially minorities, on the importance of learning how to swim. Jones said "many doors were opened" after he won Gold, and two of his sponsors, Johnson & Johnson and Bank of America, “ended up giving me money toward working and jumpstarting the diversity program” (“Fox and Friends,” Fox News, 8/26).
ON THE RISE: Olympic fans and viewers fueled strong online sales of merchandise at nbcuniversalstore.com, leading to an 81% increase in sales over the same number of days during the '06 Turin Games. Also, total online store visits were up 56% over Turin and sales of specific items were up as much as 146% (NBC Universal).
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