296
SEGIlOll
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Consumers in
the Altarketplace
l5
Create a list of current celebrities whom you feel t)ry-
ify cultural categories (e.9., clown, mother figure,
etc.). What specific brands do you feel each could effectively endorse?
l6
Conduct an "avatar hunt" by going to e-commerce
Web sites, online video game sites, and online com-
they want to look like in cyberspace. \'llhat seern to be the dorninant figures people are choosing? Are.they realistic or fantasy characters? Male or female? What t)ryes of avatars do you believe would be most effective for each of these different kinds of Web sitesand
why?
munities like The Sims that let people select what
DAVID BEGIfiAM: PROFETiSIOilAL ET{ DORSER
David Beckham may just be the most famous sports personality in the world. Is it because of his performance as a footballer for Manchester United and, since 2003, Real Madrid? Is it because of his celebrity lifestyle? Or is it because every inch of the man is endorsed by big-name corporate brands? In reality, it is probably a combination of the three. But the endorsements certainly haven't hurt Beckhamls brand recognition. Early in his professional career, Beckham secured a number of lucrative sponsorship deals with Adidas, Vodafone, and Diesel. Since tn-en he has continued to add to his endorsement portfolio with such brands as Rage Software, Castrol, Brylcreern; Police sunglasses, Gillett e razors, and Pepsi. While Beckham has not surpassed Michael lordan and Tiger Woods in endorsement stakes, he has certainly joined these elite as one who has transcended his sport to become a superbrand. So does the brand make the player, or does the player make the brand? While it can be argUed that the marketing power of global mega-corporations can launch an athlete's image, the reverse also can be true. Michael Iordan is often credited with establishing Nike as one of the world's most powerful brands. With the rnost recent contract between David Beckham and Adidas, which...
