Since Shaq has his Heat deeper in the playoffs while Kobe sits on the sidelines, and I’m going on about three hours sleep again, I’m throwing this out there. It could get messy kids. Hold on tight.A while back, there were heated discussions and gushing over Kobe’s spot from WK, the one where he basically admonished us that we ‘hate him’ because of his skillz. Now as then, I beg to differ.
I know the reason I disliked his attitude, and it wasn’t due to the mad skillz I recognize he has. WK and Nike pushed Bode Miller on us in the Olympics. Yeah, they’re WK, smart, brilliant, all that and who am I.
But I’d say the same thing today to them if they ran another self-serving campaign about an athlete designed to change our public opinion of them, and I was in the room brainstorming the idea with them.
Which leads to the point:
Who gets hurt more when an athlete doesn't perform up to expectations they themselves lay out before us in these spots: the brand, the agency, or the athlete?
Sure as shit ain’t Nike. They'll wake up tomorrow making as many shoes as they do today – and selling just as many.
And it sure as shit ain’t WK. They’ll wake up tomorrow writing as many award-winning ads as they always have.
So that leaves the athletes. Sure I think Kobe and Bode were and are over-over-over-exposed. And it may appear I’m doing a 180 and defending Kobe. I am – to a degree.
Ultimately, while they’re all free to choose what endorsement deals they go after, they also bear the brunt of our negative rap in the court of public opinion, while Nike rings up sales.
It’s just the nature of the lifestyle brand beast, but maybe Nike shouldn’t escape so easily. When you market sports and lifestyle gear, you usually end up with athletes or celebrity peeps hawking something and being the latest ‘it’ for the brand. The lightening rod for everything we hate or love in sports. Cheered for a buzzer-beater, yet vulnerable to the fallout when it rims out.
But should the agency escape the negative feedback? (And it could be any agency, not just a WK.) We applaude or boo whoever is placed in front of us. Human nature. But who puts the Kobes of the world out there in the first place.
Sure as shit ain’t us.
Thing is, Nike’s not just another consumer product, such as Pepsi. If there’s a product-tampering scare, Jay Mohr doesn’t stop getting movie offers. But people will stay away from the Pepsi section in 7-11 – in droves. That directly affects the brand.
When Bode hits 24 flags racing downhill, people still buy products with a swoosh on them, because he’s the product, not the shoes. The brand escapes scorn – and prospers.
And maybe Kobe should direct his anger towards Nike and WK for helping put him out there on stage. Sometimes I wish he’d just sell me a Pepsi rather than a reason for why I don’t ‘understand’ him.
Guess I’m also pissed Eddie the Eagle never got a shoe deal.
Tags: advertising, Kobe Bryant, brands, viral, Bode Miller
3 comments:
Eddie: brings back some great memories. We used to pretend we were Eddie, skating down the hill in the neighbourhood. Not sure if he should have gotten a shoe deal though. I'd say some angora underwear would have suited his image better :-)
actually, i hate kobe because he's a selfish jackass. probably a rapist too.
an athlete ultimately creates his/her persona, not the media. for example, no commercial on earth will ever make barry bonds likeable. it's just not in his dna.
also, i suspect, based on my own dealings with entertainers/athletes in ads, that the sponsorship decisions happen on levels well outside of the agency's control.
hj - the media may not, but someone has to put the athlete/star 'out there' on display.
The reasons you list were my two main points for not liking Kobe, evidenced by how Shaq was made to not feel welcome. Ironic that this was going to be the year that Kobe had the team all to himself and nothing was going to stop him.
Except that attitude. But I guess I’m hatin’ according to some.
serge - I believe they are making a movie on Eddie from waht I heard.
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