Why Athletes Make the Best Brand Ambassadors
From insurance agencies to car companies, athletes have the powerful ability to bring consumer awareness and money to brands. As more businesses recognize the substantial influence athletes have outside of their sport, companies are leveraging athlete-driven campaigns to maximize profit.
But why are athletes good brand ambassadors? Now more than ever consumers resonate with real and authentic people who stand for something. Athlete’s possess a unique duality. They have the potential to be strong role models within society and to motivate and inspire communities without losing authenticity and relatability.
An athlete’s social influence is increasingly no longer tied to their on-field performance; rather, it is their authentic engagement, social relevance, and attitude towards fans that make them most valuable in the eyes of consumers and brands. These attributes are what brands can identify when determining whether an athlete reflects the company’s core values, and if this partnership will turn into a long-lasting relationship. Rather than using athletes as ambassadors just for awareness, the partnership must have a real and genuine connection that consumers can identify.
There are a number of significant reasons why brands should look to athletes to endorse their products. One primary reason is that athletes are well-known names that can help brands tap into their audience, and they also open new markets and demographics. For example, partnering with former Steelers safety Troy Polamalu has allowed Head and Shoulders to be a relevant brand name in the sports-viewing demographic, thus widening their product reach.
A second reason is that athlete endorsements reassure consumers of the quality of the brand. Seeing a respected athlete attach his or her name to a product may help consumers to alleviate uncertainty and build a positive brand reputation. Megan Rapino’s sponsorship with Mendi, the sports recovery brand where some products are made with legal hemp CBD, helps ease potential concerns over this particular line of products because such a well-respected and conscientious athlete endorses it.
Athlete alliances can also help convey a particular attribute about a company that makes it stand out from its competitors, which is especially important in competitive markets. For example, Kia partnered with Lebron James because his aggressive and dynamic style of play matched the attributes they wanted to portray in their marketing of the Kia K900.
Brands and companies should know that not just any athlete makes a strong brand ambassador. However, overall, when the partnership is aligned appropriately, athletes make the best ambassadors to reach marketing goals and deliver the strongest brand message and image.
