Endorsements by Male Skaters
- Thread starter attyfan
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- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
Gio, I have a question about figure skating in Europe. In the United States, if you go to a typical learn-to-skate class for beginners, there will be 30 little girls and one little boy (probably someone's little brother who doesn't have a babysitter).
Is it that way in other countries?
Is it that way in other countries?
Endorsements
I used to read Ad Age, a magazine that has its own viewpoint on sports, stars are viewed exclusively in terms of their endorsement potential
I remember an article reviewing the '88 Olympics and Brian Boitano was mentioned and the consensus, I paraphrase only slightly, was "Yeah, sure, what is he going to endorse? Trucks? Beer?" guffaw, guffaw."
US male skaters have had a (very) few endorsement deals, Scott H probably the most but the story has been the ladies, from Fleming to Meissner with no signs of change on the horizon.
I used to read Ad Age, a magazine that has its own viewpoint on sports, stars are viewed exclusively in terms of their endorsement potential
I remember an article reviewing the '88 Olympics and Brian Boitano was mentioned and the consensus, I paraphrase only slightly, was "Yeah, sure, what is he going to endorse? Trucks? Beer?" guffaw, guffaw."
US male skaters have had a (very) few endorsement deals, Scott H probably the most but the story has been the ladies, from Fleming to Meissner with no signs of change on the horizon.
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2006
Thanks for posting Fred Goss!
Thinking of Dan Marino and Isotoner gloves. They even wanted someone from the football world to endorse a glove. Likely an attempt to "toughen the image" of the glove wearing male (it sounds so silly to me, but can see the POV for sure) so the question might be, what needs in advertising that shows the softer side of a product that is perceived as being "too macho?" anything? It seems like gloves and Ice Skating would have been a great match? Or did I miss an endorsement? But what can skating males do? Cooking and raising kids seem like good opportunities.?
And I wonder how much - as often as it has been mentioned around here lately - that Scott's "speed skater" costume helped him land these deals. Americans are very influenced by what they see, and seem to hardly ever look into the substance of things. Look = Thought, a majority of the time it seems here in the good ol' USA.
Thinking of Dan Marino and Isotoner gloves. They even wanted someone from the football world to endorse a glove. Likely an attempt to "toughen the image" of the glove wearing male (it sounds so silly to me, but can see the POV for sure) so the question might be, what needs in advertising that shows the softer side of a product that is perceived as being "too macho?" anything? It seems like gloves and Ice Skating would have been a great match? Or did I miss an endorsement? But what can skating males do? Cooking and raising kids seem like good opportunities.?
And I wonder how much - as often as it has been mentioned around here lately - that Scott's "speed skater" costume helped him land these deals. Americans are very influenced by what they see, and seem to hardly ever look into the substance of things. Look = Thought, a majority of the time it seems here in the good ol' USA.
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2006
Scott, however, looked like a dweeb in his speedskater suit, so I don't think that was it.
:agree: :agree:
Thats mean, poor Scotty. Do any of them really look "cool?" I have to admit, I don't think there are many speedskaters that look "cool." Most of Diving and swimming attire looks "dweeby" to me too (guys and girls). I don't know if I have ever thought of a gymnast as dapper either (guys and girls). Maybe that is the perception. Looks so dweeby the only reason they would wear it is because it is for the sport???? So it was just Scott's marketing approach / savvy that landed him these deals? So why did America perceive him as being a good "spokes person" for a product? America must have seen him in some way for "marketing" to want to pick him up? Or did He approach them and they fell for it?
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- Joined
- Mar 19, 2006
I'll give you the picture in Italy as perceived by me.
At the nearest ice rink I usually go, I see all kind of people skating. Little boys and girls, girl teenagers, boy teenagers, women and men in their 30s-60s.
When I see the typical learn-to-skate classes, I notice that the groups are pretty mixed with a slight prevalence of girls. I could say it is 60%girls and 40%boys. Sometimes is even on the contrary.
What about the gender of the spectators at the skating rings watching a show. Pretty mixed too.
Another fact. Eurosport give us the possibility to interact with the commentators. At the last Euros they have read a lot of e-mails from boys. I could say it was a 50-50.
Some macho actors are the competitors of the second season of the Italian skating reality Notti sul ghiaccio (Nights on Ice).
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For an American Male to get similar endorsements that the American Women get, they need to win win win and have an incredibly charismatic personality. I wish this were not the case...I wish there wasn't such a stigma about male figure skaters in the US, but there is...
Americans are obsessed with appearances and stereotypes (not all of course but enough for marketing purposes), because of this change comes slowly. Now I prefer Johnny's skating to that of Evan's, but Evan might be the one to make a difference in the endorsment department on two points: his costumes are never outlandish, and he is dating a hottie. Now all he has to do is win win win and have charisma in droves!
All commercials right now only have Peyton Manning in them anyway so even if you are not a Kimmie fan you have to be glad to see someone else!
eliza88
Americans are obsessed with appearances and stereotypes (not all of course but enough for marketing purposes), because of this change comes slowly. Now I prefer Johnny's skating to that of Evan's, but Evan might be the one to make a difference in the endorsment department on two points: his costumes are never outlandish, and he is dating a hottie. Now all he has to do is win win win and have charisma in droves!
All commercials right now only have Peyton Manning in them anyway so even if you are not a Kimmie fan you have to be glad to see someone else!
eliza88
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
I think the point that we are not taking into consideration is this. You don't automatically get a commercial endorsement contract because you can leap high or run fast or kick a ball a long way. You get these contracts because someone thinks you can sell their product.
Tiger Woods is a fine golfer. But he is the greatest shoe saleman of all time, selling more than $100,000,000 dollars worth of Nike shoes per year.
Muhammud Ali is the most popular athlete in American history. He never got any comercial endorsements at all.
Like Eliza88 says, its a combination of many factors, plus good timing and good luck. You have to exhibit character traits that advertisers want people to associate with their products. "If you want to be like me, wear Under Armor," says Kimmie Meissner.
Tiger Woods is a fine golfer. But he is the greatest shoe saleman of all time, selling more than $100,000,000 dollars worth of Nike shoes per year.
Muhammud Ali is the most popular athlete in American history. He never got any comercial endorsements at all.
Like Eliza88 says, its a combination of many factors, plus good timing and good luck. You have to exhibit character traits that advertisers want people to associate with their products. "If you want to be like me, wear Under Armor," says Kimmie Meissner.
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Decide (and lets end this discussion):
Who do the manufactuers think will buy their watches?
Evan?
Johnny?
Sasha?
Who do the manufactuers think will buy their watches?
Evan?
Johnny?
Sasha?
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2003
well i know alot about marketing and a fair bit about skating (mostly armchair level, but having been on this board since 1999, reasonalbly well educated :agree: ) but, being Canadain, what is UnderArmor...or is that UnderArmour? or maybe UnderAmour?
a deoderant for those in love? or a light set of clothes for under your chain mail?
thanks
sww
a deoderant for those in love? or a light set of clothes for under your chain mail?
thanks
sww
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
They make sports clothing. I think it means, like, your first layer of clothes when you do sports. (I see it's the British/Canadian spelling "Armour," LOL.) Their headquarters seems to be in Baltimore, Kimmie's home town.
http://www.underarmour.com/ProductFullLine.cfm?site_id=2&dept_id=7&coll_id=2100&showAll=showAll
http://www.underarmour.com/ProductFullLine.cfm?site_id=2&dept_id=7&coll_id=2100&showAll=showAll
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- May 6, 2006
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
Scott, however, looked like a dweeb in his speedskater suit, so I don't think that was it.
he didn't look like a dweeb!
he looked like a frog!
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
Although Ad Agencies preferred exceptional female beauty, they now realize that those 'hotties' are able to sell products too, especially if they come out of sports.
Other than Joubert, I don't see that many exceptional male faces in figure skating but hey who am I to judge.
Name your dreamy male skater and explain how you would feature him to use a norelco shaver? or a butch deodorant?
Joe
Other than Joubert, I don't see that many exceptional male faces in figure skating but hey who am I to judge.
Name your dreamy male skater and explain how you would feature him to use a norelco shaver? or a butch deodorant?
Joe
- Joined
- Jun 27, 2003
Didn't John Zimmerman have an ad back in 01 or 02 for mens clothing (or underwear... can't remember)?
as for Joe's question of who, I answered that earlier in this thread. Evan Lysacek could sell me ANYTHING...
I know my dad would probably buy any type of excercise equipment Lloyd Eisler were to sell... he's obsessed with Lloyd's arms
Ben Agosto looks amazing in sun glasses... he could sell those
as for Joe's question of who, I answered that earlier in this thread. Evan Lysacek could sell me ANYTHING...
I know my dad would probably buy any type of excercise equipment Lloyd Eisler were to sell... he's obsessed with Lloyd's arms
Ben Agosto looks amazing in sun glasses... he could sell those
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