Talk'n'Ticker: 2010

Hot Stove, Heating Up

Top MLB Free Agents

As baseball season came to a close and the Giants celebrated in San Francisco, the focus has turned to the competitive offseason where some big names are on the table and ready to hear offers. Turn that stove up to high heat, because the baseball offseason is officially underway. Players hit the market bright and early on Sunday, Nov. 7th at 12:01 AM. This year's crop is especially rich, as some of the best players in the game are up for grabs.

Top 5 Free Agents in 2010

1. Cliff Lee - P Coming off another World Series appearance, Cliff Lee is the hottest pitcher on the market. The Yankees have expressed serious interest in him moving forward, dropping out of other bidding wars to solely focus on the Lefty. He's been a dominate pitcher over the past three seasons, and it's no surprise he's the top free agent this offseason.

2. Carl Crawford - LF The speed of Crawford makes him a dangerous asset for any team. He lead the American League in stolen bases for the fourth season in a row in 2010. Of course, he's strong at the place with solid numbers. His age gives him the boost, sitting at 29, so he can expect a large, multiyear contract.

3. Adrian Beltre - 3B He's considered one of the best on the hot corner, and topped that off with great offensive year with the Red Sox. He carried the team when other big names couldn't hold up. Reports are that he will test the market and deny his player option for 2011.

4. Jayson Werth - RF A star on the rise, Werth has solidified his

position as one of the best Right Fielders in the game. Just three years ago, he never thought he would play again due to a broken wrist, but the Phillies offered him another shot and he worked his way up to a starter for the playoff contenders. A rare five-tool player is hard to find, but expect Werth to look for a long-term contract.

5. Victor Martinez - C Martinez is seen as one of the few catchers that can deliver at the plate, driving in over 100 runs this year. Although he is on the older side of baseball, but supposedly is willing to move to 1B if necessary. A team may pick him up for the short term in order to protect the plate.

Lots of factors play a role in the value of a player, both on and off the field. Effective branding throughout the season can help increase the value of a player's identity. All in all, sports is a business and we look forward to seeing where these assets end up in 2011.

Athletes and celebrities that are comfortable dealing with media are often the ones that will be targeted by blue-chip companies for endorsement and marketing deals. It’s a simple equation; companies want someone that they know is able to represent their product well. Therefore it is in the best interest of athletes/other celebrities to develop great relationships with reporters and journalists so that they are presented in the best light possible.

So how does one go about doing this? Of course it starts with getting the interview (something which a qualified publicist can help with if interview requests aren’t flowing in). Once an interview is secured, it’s up to the individual to make a good impression.

Remember the reporter or interviewer’s name and use it during the interview. Psychologists have shown that when you use someone’s name in conversation, their overall impression of you will be improved.

Human beings are drawn in by stories. Telling a story in your interview about a situation that occurred behind the scenes or in the locker room is one way to make your interview more interesting.

As much as possible, interviewees should try to mimic normal conversation. It’s ok to ask the interviewer questions if that’s your personality. Media darling Shaquille O’Neal is famous for doing this.

These are just a few ways that public figures can endear themselves to reporters and audiences reading/viewing their interviews. It’s important to remember that how one individual conducts an interview may not be the magic formula for everyone. By practicing with a media coach, athletes and other celebrities can determine what works for them and start the process of becoming a media darling that companies would love to have as their spokesperson.

A Fallen King Begins To Rise

This past offseason wasn’t so “off” for LeBron James. Since walking out on the Cleveland Cavaliers during after game 5 of last season’s NBA playoffs against the Boston Celtics, James has received incessant backlash for nearly every move he’s made from nearly every person he’s encountered. He’s been publicly criticized by the likes of Charles Barkley, Michael Jordan, Cav’s owner Dan Gilbert, and sports commentators worldwide. He’s been slammed for abandoning his hometown, walking out on his team in the playoffs, being a poor role model, and, most notably, for The Decision. Essentially, Akron’s former “King” had become more of a court jester.

While James’ life story has seemingly been told through the mouthpiece of the media, disgruntled Akronites, and just generally bitter fans everywhere, he has taken the first steps towards ironing out his wrinkly image.

A new 92-second commercial for Nike’s “Rise” campaign is James’ undeniable attempt at regaining control of his image, and responding to all the criticism he’s received. It references all the topics he’s caught flak for through a cinematographic mash-up of poignant imagery, straightforward shout-outs to his critics, and questions to LeBron fans and enemies alike.

Scenes such as the giant “We Are All Witnesses” banner in Cleveland falling to the ground while he asks “What should I do?”; asking “Should I really believe I ruined my legacy?” while addressing an empty room during a mock Hall of Fame induction; or having his “Chosen 1” tattoo removed while he winces in pain, are awakening in the sense that they make viewers reevaluate their strict views on the actions of such powerful athletes.

While “Rise” may appear to accomplish many tasks, it is here, as Barry Rothbard of Sports Grid says in his article Does Nike’s New LeBron James Ad Make You Forgive The King?, for one reason: “to shift the PR battle back into LeBron James’ court.”

From a PR perspective, this ad is genius for a couple reasons. First of all: timing. He allowed enough time for The Decision to be digested, and for people to be ready to hear what he had to say again. Through the commercial, the world saw LeBron acknowledge the madness of the offseason on Monday. The NBA season started on Tuesday. What better time to clear up any questions or concerns, or to pick up--regain?--any last-minute fans than the day before he is thrust back into the limelight?

Next: it is no coincidence that the face of the “Rise” campaign is LeBron James. The King fell from his throne four months ago, and is now rising back to the top. It’s that simple. Nike has tried to doctor athletes’ broken brands before (think Tiger Woods in the Nike “Boom” operation), but this “Rise” ad is the just the PR prescription that LeBron needs.

Finally, an oversized ego is like poison to an athlete’s image, making them seem super-human and out of reach to fans. In 92 seconds, this commercial brings James back down to Earth through his simple question, “What should I do?”

In the recent past, everyone has had opinions regarding his actions on and off the court, career decisions, media involvement, what he should have done, and what he should now do. According to Sports Networker writer Sam Taggart, by repetitively asking his audience what he should do, “LeBron seems to be saying, ‘You try being me.’”

Everyone knows how hard it is--or how virtually impossible it is--to please everyone, and this commercial sheds some light on that aspect of the superstar’s life. He acknowledges his mistakes, he recognizes there are ways he could have done things differently, and only after letting the public step into his shoes and see just how many different hurdles he faces everyday, does he finally opens up and invites people to share their opinions.

An athlete’s brand is dependent upon whether fans are able to identify with them, and it took a mere 92 seconds for the world to begin to rediscover parts of themselves in LeBron James. And that is what will help The King begin to rise again.

-Liz

Creating An Efficient PR Campaign

In working with high profile clientele,

regardless of industry whether it be sports,

music, general entertainment or options far

and in between, creating public awareness

is the foundation of their brand building.

When developing a PR campaign keep in

mind these following tips to ensure success.

Create Objectives & Goals

Make sure that you clarify the goal of the campaign. Without doing this at the beginning, you run the risk of not being able to measure your results accurately.

Develop a Tag Line

To make your campaign memorable (even if only for a short amount of time), find a tag line that will stick in peoples' minds. Do not be subtle, use punctuation, and keep it short. A bold, to-the-point statement is easier for people to remember.

Define Your Audience

All campaigns are not created equally, nor are all campaigns directed towards the same target audience. Ensure that your message stays true to something of current interest and importance.

Create a Timeline

Campaigns that run too long weaken the results of your efforts. Choose an execution time for your campaign that is brief, but relevant to its subject in order to maximize results and reach goals.

Integrate Social Media

Social media has gone viral in terms of communication. Choose at least two social media outlets to use as a platform for your campaign. By targeting more than one outlet, you ensure that none of your audience falls through the cracks.

-Amira

It’s no secret that athletes have become the standard in the brand marketing game. Almost every product has a celebrity face to it, especially when today’s world puts so much value in their support. While using an athlete as the face of a brand does not seem difficult, determining how to market athletes is where a lot of a brands fall short. When it comes to any kind of endorsements, there are three key theories that determine a campaign’s success.

1. Source Credibility

2. Source Attractiveness

3. Product Matchups

Each one of these components attempts to secure the target audience and bolster a company’s consumer recognition. In terms of source credibility, it combines a sense of expertise with trust. The athlete chosen to be the spokesperson requires some amount of sincerity and authority for the consumer to actually buy it – literally and figuratively. Audiences are not as susceptible to insincerity as once believed.

Attractiveness supports any credibility and can almost make up for a slight lacking in it. This, of course, does not mean you forgo any credibility for the allure of a professional athlete – as you will see in the failing examples below. Each of these theories works together to support the campaign, and require a delicate balance. Attractiveness acts as the likability factor -- the familiarity -- that consumers look for to make a connection with the endorser.

Finally, and most importantly, the product needs to match with the established brand of the athlete. A product should fit into the overall plan of the athlete’s marketing as an extension, not just a move for more money. Consumer reactions are all based on a connection with their heroes, and anything that does not help to create that image will fall flat.

So what are some of the worst endorsements we’ve seen? Here are three examples of marketing gone wrong:

Michael Jordan’s Slam Bowling Ball – It’s hard to knock Michael Jordan in any category as he has created one of the most recognizable brands in sports, but this venture did not go over well. His AMF basketball-styled bowling ball debuted in 1998. While he teamed up with an official bowling company, the ball was grooved, like a basketball, and did not meet regulations. Not only was it unusable, the market for the product was small. His parlay into baseball didn’t meet expectations, so why would his bowling?

Kellogg’s Partnership with Michael Phelps – Kellogg is known as a family brand and choosing an Olympic athlete to grace the cover of your cereal box seems like a good choice – until the marijuana scandal accompanied by the previous DUI case in 2004. This proves it is important to take the products demographic into consideration – mothers and fathers buying for their children. A “bad boy” image just won’t work.

Joe Montana’s Sketchers “Shape-ups” – This one just seems out of left field. A former football great endorsing ugly toning sneakers just screams it was all about the contract, not the product. Random placement will not automatically create credibility and a star endorser may not do anything for your product if not supported by the other components.

-Mia

When assessing the pulse of the fan, the theme in Women’s Basketball is consistent: it’s overlooked. This sport is one of the few that doesn’t get the media coverage it deserves. Talk ‘N’ Ticker gets it, and more importantly we agree. Since its inception in 1996 and the first game in 1997, there have been significant developments in terms of women’s and girls’ basketball activities and it’s time that they be recognized. Thirteen years of strong history has laid the groundwork for a major change.

This is where ASI’s client, Inside Women’s Basketball is making strides to change the game. Not only do they publish a quarterly digital magazine, but they have effectively kept their readers engaged and updated in the “other” world of basketball through social media.

By telling the history and actively providing coverage of high school, college and WNBA communities, Inside Women’s Basketball has gained the love, respect, and appreciation of true fans. In order to continue to do so, ASI’s partnership is assisting in cultivating sponsorships and ad placements throughout the digital magazine.

In August, the New York Times published an article describing the dedication of former players to the WNBA. According to the article, “These women are survivors, pioneers who had to seek out a game.” Just as the players and executives are passionate about bringing the game to a wider fan base, the fans have a responsibility to seek out coverage of the sport and the people that bring life to women’s basketball.

-Andrea

Endorsements are a staple in the sports business world, but that does not mean they come easy for athletes. It is up to the client to uphold their public image in order to protect their product deals. Companies are going to look out for their brands in the same manner and need some sort of insurance policy and sometimes more importantly, an exit strategy. Morality clauses are becoming increasingly popular. These are agreements that allow companies to end a deal due to a scandal or indiscretion by direct involvement of the athlete. Unfortunately for them, athletes are on a main stage for scrutiny, they have to be prepared. Indeed all clients are different, but all effective crisis communication requires management before, during, and after any crisis.

Here are some tips for dealing with crisis communications:

1. All communication after a crisis has to be fast-paced. Always respond in a timely manner. Stalling gives the illusion of not being sure of oneself. This can cause an audience to question the validity of statements.

2. Correct all inaccurate information quickly. Never allow 24 hours to pass without addressing errors in any statement. With new media, not correcting immediately, causes a domino effect. At that point your responses are at a disadvantage.

3. Never lie, without having a justified reason to do so. This tip is probably the trickiest. A general rule of thumb is that if your statements cannot be justified by someone else, do not do it. It will probably come back to hurt your credibility.

4. Any cooperation on your part helps resolve things quickly. Especially in matters of the law, always abide by the rules of law enforcement.

5. Ride it out and focus on your sport. Everything in media is a phase. The first phase is the hardest to go through. Stick to your plan and follow it through. After all, that’s why crisis plans are created in the first place.

6. Use media attention to your advantage. Always try to spin a negative into a positive. Divert the topic of the crisis by interjecting additional stories that represent good references to combat the bad.

- Amira

The Battle Between Salaries & Endorsements

Top 10 Earners of 2010:

While an athlete might be sitting on a nice salary, what is truly essential in sky rocketing their careers are product endorsements. In dealing with products and sponsorships, it seems that athletes are unstoppable. Over the past year, the average earnings of Sports Illustrated Fortune 50 has grown to 26.2 million, up 11% from the '09 list. There is no denying the fact that endorsements play a large role in that growth. Athletes like Tiger Woods have taken a hit in the public image sector, but the golfer still tops the list with 70 million in endorsements, more than triple his yearly salary.

The lists below show how endorsement deals almost turn the top 10 salaries upside down.

TOP SALARY EARNINGS (winnings included):
1) Floyd Mayweather: $60,000,000

2) Alex Rodriguez: $33,000,000

3) Kobe Bryant: $23,034,375

4) Shaquille O'Neal: $21,000,000

4) Derek Jeter: $21,000,000

6) Tiger Woods: $20,508,163

7) Peyton Manning: $15,800,000

8) LeBron James: $15,779,912

8) Dwayne Wade: $15,779,912

10) Phil Mickelson: $9,660,757

TOP ENDORSEMENT EARNINGS:

1) Tiger Woods: $70,000,000

2) Phil Mickelson: $52,000,000

3) LeBron James: $30,000,000

4) Peyton Manning: $15,000,000

4) Shaquille O'Neal: $15,000,000

6) Dwayne Wade: $12,000,000

7) Kobe Bryant: $10,000,000

7) Derek Jeter: $10,000,000

9) Alex Rodriguez: $4,000,000

10) Floyd Mayweather: $250,000

- Liz

Sports history is full of athletes that after having risen to the pinnacle of their careers saw it all fall apart by engaging in acts that were illegal or morally reprehensible. Not all of them make it back to the top (Mike Tyson, O.J.Simpson) but more often than not, the public is willing to accept their fallen heroes if their fall from grace and their comeback was handled with humility and genuineness. Lance Armstrong for example has managed to stay above the fray from ongoing doping allegations and investigations by remaining actively involved in his charity work. And though Armstrong has never been formally charged with steroid use, many other athletes have had their careers toppled by the mere hint of illegal or immoral acts. Which brings us to the case of Michael Vick.

Michael Vick was the number one draft pick in the 2001 NFL draft, an athlete with undeniable talent who at the height of his career was the highest earning quarterback in the NFL, with a $130 million contract at the Atlanta Falcons. Then came 2007 and the events which derailed his promising career. Vick was charged with dog fighting charges and subsequently spent 18 months in prison. An athlete who once had endorsement deals from prominent companies such as AirTran, Nike, Hasbro, Kraft Foods, EA Sports and Powerade was seemingly overnight turned into the pariah of the marketing world. When the dust cleared, Vick had lost over $100 million in endorsement deals and salary.

Fast forward to today, only one year since his release from federal prison and Michael Vick was just named as the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles, the only team which opted to give him a chance at redemption. While the opportunity to start for the Eagles only opened up following the injury of the original starter, Kevin Kolb, his injury has proven to be a blessing in disguise of sorts for Vick. It has mobilized hungry Eagles fans (who have been clamoring for a Superbowl appearance since 2005) to support the use of Vick in future games, an interesting turn of public opinion.

So now that Vick’s on-the-field performance has football fans sitting up and taking notice, will he have an opportunity to once again regain the support of corporate sponsors? For every supporter who believes that Vick has paid for his actions, there are those detractors that will never be satisfied that he is on his way back to success. So what do the marketers have to say?

Well thus far, marketers are staying far away from the quarterback. Nike recently publicly denied that it had entered into a contractual agreement with Vick, stating that it had only agreed to supply him with gear much as it does with many other athletes who are not official spokespeople for the brand. But as Vick continues to display humility and an understanding of his past mistakes it will be interesting to see just how many sponsors will be willing to go out on a limb for this undeniably electric talent.

According to recently released information on athlete Q scores, which is a metric that marketers use when considering how to align themselves with a personality, Michael Vick is the athlete most disliked by Americans. That is a tough label to have and whether or not Michael Vick can shed it will have as much to do with his on-the-field performance as his off-the-field work.

I had the opportunity to hear Vick speak to a group of young, minority males at the Urban Youth Racing School’s What It Takes event in Philadelphia and call me naïve but I was impressed by his humility and the determination he displayed to turn his life and image around. It may take some time, but if Vick continues to be a force to be reckoned with on-the-field and can continue with community initiatives that humanize him and gain him fans off-the-field, the time will come when marketers will have to decide if they’re losing out by not being affiliated with him.

-Khaila

Athlete Social Media 101

With social media taking over in today's world, it is imperative that athletes understand how important it is to be mindful of what they post to their social media sites. If you know of an athlete who tweets or is considering the big question, “To Tweet or Not to Tweet,” make sure they take our crash course.

DO NOT TWEET:

How hungover you are after a long night with your friends.

Your favorite line from a rap song without quoting the source.

Pictures that feature intimate and/or personal material of anyone

Profanity of any sort

How mad you are at anyone in particular

DO TWEET:

Well wishes and "Thank You's" to specific followers

Insight on your personal day and events in your life

Pictures of you being yourself, especially those of you smiling and laughing

Personal shout-outs to fans that follow you

AFTER you've thought about your response in its entirety

~Amira

Between “The Decision” and a pointed tweet aimed at critics, the way LeBron James went about leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat is one of the more recent sports PR mishaps that may come to mind. When athletes’ egos get—or seem to get—a little too big for their britches, they not only lose fans (i.e. his jersey being burned in the streets of Cleveland after the announcement), but they lose endorsement deals. When James made the decision to head south and join the Heat, he left a gaping hole in the heart of Cleveland. He then went on to rub salt in this open wound by hosting an hour-long televised special--cleverly titled “The Decision”--to further, and very publicly, continue to crush the city of Cleveland, along with his own “hometown hero” image.

After stomping on his fans--and his public image--in this way, and seeing the backlash he received for it, he followed up with this tweet:

“Don’t think for one minute that I haven’t been taking mental notes

of everyone taking shots at me this summer. And I mean everyone!”

In these instances, James has committed some serious PR no-nos, and the only person he is hurting is himself. A bad attitude equals a loss of endorsement deals...equals a loss of money for the Hometown Hero. Publicist Gail Sideman says in an article on The Sports Network that she tells her big-time athlete clients that it’s easy to gain endorsement deals (read: paychecks); just be passionate and live honest and generous lifestyles and people—and companies looking for a celebrity face for their product—will believe in them.

In this situation, LeBron's PR team should have worked with him, making him aware of the fact that "The Decision" and the aforementioned tweet were not examples of living honestly and generously, but rather egotistically and defensively.

LeBron's PR team could have squashed this issue before it even happened by working with him, making him aware of the fact that "The Decision" and the aforementioned tweet are not examples of living honestly and generously, but rather egotistically and defensively. In today's world where image and branding mean everything, athletes need to be more careful than ever about their actions--on court and off court; online and offline. Proactive efforts by sports PR professionals are the first step in garnering positive attention and, consequently, big-dollar deals for their clients.

~Liz

1. Media train your athletes!

More than one career has been derailed by athletes who have problems working with the media. An athlete versed in interaction with the press stands a better chance of being well received by fans and subsequently potential sponsors.

2. Embrace social media

Athletes have huge fan bases. Using social media to responsibly engage with this audience is a surefire way to grow their fan base even more and grow their appeal to potential sponsors.

3. Partner with a charity

If an athlete is genuine about a particular cause, working with an organization to get exposure for that cause can only be positive for the athlete.

4. Work proactively with athletes to avoid a media crisis

PR professionals should work with athlete clients to ensure that they are knowledgeable about situations (infidelity, gambling, etc.) that will make for bad press and have a definite impact on interest from sponsors.

~Khaila

When marketing athletes, image is everything. Their individuality, unique qualities and personal brands all come into play when determining if an athlete is a good fit to represent a company. Of course, extraordinary talent is needed for any athlete to come onto a company's radar, but it’s the overall “picture” that takes precedence.

When you think about athlete endorsements, the biggest names in sports come to mind: Tiger Woods, Lebron James, Derek Jeter...the list goes on. In the United States, the sports industry sees a large share of endorsements come from the 4 big sports: football, basketball, baseball and NASCAR. The one similarity? They are all men. When marketing female athletes, companies tend to pigeonhole them.

The highest-paid female athletes (in order) are: Maria Sharapova, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, and Danica Patrick. Each one of these powerful women dominate their sport and are handsomely compensated for endorsements, but each are marketed in a way that focuses heavily on their appearance.

The stereotypes that female athletes tend to fall into have been outlined in a study conducted by Stockholm psychologist Nathalie Koivula, which clearly confirms that media coverage does treat men and women differently – even with a seemingly meaningless detail as referring to female athletes by their first name instead of their last.

It brings to mind the Candace Parker cover of ESPN The Magazine in March 2009 and the subsequent feature article. If you do not recall the article, here’s the lead:

"Candace Parker is beautiful. Breathtaking, really, with flawless skin, endless legs and a C cup she is proud of but never flaunts. She is also the best at what she does, a record-setter, a rule-breaker, a redefiner. She is a woman who plays like a man, one of the boys, if the boys had C cups and flawless skin. She's nice, too. Sweet, even. Kind to animals and children, she is the sort of woman who worries about others more than about herself, a saint in high-tops.”

While the article is flattering, it begs the question of why female athletes are so frequently described in ways that focus so heavily on beauty and sexuality, even when their athletic accomplishments rival those of men. Consider how inappropriate the article would sound if "Candace Parker" was swapped out with "Reggie Bush."

Not only do female athletes have to be extremely talented, they must satisfy a sexuality quotient as well.

It’s not that companies or media outlets should overlook these qualities, but they could provide a refreshing spin on female athletes as a whole, if the sexuality factor played a supporting role rather than taking center stage. After being bombarded with cookie-cutter images of women in sports, audiences would pay attention to something different, refreshing and unique. Now's the perfect time to take advantage.

~Mia

Talk'n'Ticker

Hot Stove, Heating Up

How To Be A Media Darling

A Fallen King Begins To Rise

Creating An Efficient PR Campaign

Endorsement Marketing: What Works & Why?

Media And Women's Basketball

Tips on How to Protect Endorsements

The Battle Between Salaries & Endorsements

The Most Disliked Athlete in America?

To Tweet or Not To Tweet: That Is the Question

LeBron's "Decision" About Fans and Endorsements

PR Tips For Increasing Athlete Marketability

Marketing Female Athletes: The Focus on Sexuality

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