I recently wrote about Jason Lezak and his quest for endorsement success outside the swimming pool. I noted the “Olympic Glory Not Translating Into Commercial Success” story is popular.
Olympic Champion LaShawn Merritt
Today’s The Virginian-Pilot carried the next installment in the series.
In Larry Rubama’s story, we learn about a young track and field hero, LaShawn Merritt. Many of you may remember Merritt from his 400 meters victory at Beijing. Since then, he’s been out there: public speaking, commercial events, and, most importantly, giving back to his community. However, this hasn’t translated into the off-the-track success he seeks.
Another Olympic gold medalist. Another attractive athlete. Another under-performing brand.
What gives?
Well, after applying our U/S Sports Advisors litmus test, Merritt comes out with pretty good grades. He hasn’t been hiding; he volunteers for public speaking gigs. Professionally designed website and MySpace page with recent news updates. He even created a self-titled track and field event for aspiring young athletes in the Portsmouth, VA area. So what’s not to be excited about?
Well…as I was writing this blog, my son walked up to me and asked, “What are you writing about, Dad?” I responded, “LaShawn Merritt, an American Olympic Gold Medalist.” “What’s his story?,” he shot back. To which I confessed, “I don’t know.”
And that’s the problem.
With all the tools he created, and all the events he promotes, we still don’t know “his story.” Everything he conveys through the Web seems to be about his on-track-record (which we know) or his promotional events. In the same way that an expensive iPod is useless without songs, great marketing tools are useless without a message.
Using U/S Sports Advisors’ Game Time service, our athlete clients learn how to define their brand and develop their message. Your brand defines your tools…not the other way around. Otherwise, you’re “just another Olympic gold medalist.”
Now, I realize that last sentence sounds dumb. “Olympic gold medalist” represents the pinnacle lifetime achievement for an elite athlete. However…not from the perspective of a corporate endorsement manager, who receives endorsement proposals from every gold medal holder in every Olympic game. After all, LaShawn’s marketing kit is sitting in the same pile as Jason Lezak’s on somebody’s desk at a large sports-related brand.
Without a differentiated brand message, they are both Olympic gold medalists competing for the same commercial attention. And, they both have the same story written about their unfulfilled commercial aspirations.
Posted by Ken Ungar.
