Call it the Kate Moss effect.
Long-time sponsors of disgraced French footballer Zinedine Zidane are standing by their man. As 2 billion peope know, Zizou was sent off in the closing minutes of the World Cup final for head-butting an Italian player.
According to France Football, Zidane earns around $11 million a year endorsements from companies like Adidas, Danone, and France Telecom. Yesterday, marketing reps from the companies offered their near-animous support in a series of statements to Reuters.
What makes some tarnished sports celebrities (Kobe Bryant, John McEnroe) seemingly bulletproof as pitchmen, while others (Mike Tyson, Pete Rose) have never recovered from their most memorable gaffes?
Misha Cornes
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Kobe Bryant was far from bulletproof after his incident. He lost his shoe contract (with Adidas I believe, but it was that bad that I barely remember who his contract was with originally) and wasn’t on the TV at all with his other endorsers.
It was only some time later that Nike picked him up and gradually brought him back in the media (he was playing so well, he couldn’t be ignored apparently) in his commercial that was playing this past year.
As for the head-butt, well it’s soccer and it means everything over there. I’m sure they found a way to justify it somehow.
You’re absolutely right about Kobe. According to this CNN article, he still has the highest negative rating of any athlete (53%), well ahead of Barry Bonds (38%). But I do think that a big contract with Nike is the first step to his rehabilitation.
Let’s not forget OJ Simpson.
I like your parallel with Mc Enroe, this is so true! Pure genius and bad temper. I loved Mc Enroe and still wish he won this French Open final against Lendl…
First of all, keep in miond that he was not the one to give the first strike. He was violently provocked by the Italian player. His response was stupid and violent, but he just stroke back. His head butt was aiming at the chest, he didn’t eat his opponent’s ear or killed or raped someone. Stupid response I agree, but just response to an agressive.
It is not the first time that Zidane “lost it”, and brands have always continued to support him. He has been by far the best soccer player of the past 10 years. His technical skills have been so superior to anyone else that he has been called a magician by many. By responding to the Italian player’s provocations, most viewers have considered that his gesture was just human. The Super Hero who plays like a god became a mortal and people can relate to that. Even Zidane can make mistakes! He is not a robot and has feelings. Some French newspapers titles their front page “human after all” after the game. His fans know that, even if Zidane has anger mangagement problems, he has a good heart and is not a bad person. Generally speaking, I think that people like bad asses if they have a good heart. See how many people rushed to watch Johnny Depp as a selfish pirate last weekend if you don’t believe me… (See more on my blog)
Now, good marketers have to learn how to use the image properly to drive the right values. I believe for example that Volvic (Danone)made a good investment in associating their image with Zidane. Volvic: spring water from the volcanos. I believe that the association with Zidane (semi-god, very quiet on the outside but about to burst at any time from the inside) was very appropriate.
Disclaimer: I am French and grew up in Marseille like Zidane. I am not a very good soccer player, and I really suck at head butts.