More Athlete Controversy Makes Brands Question The Use Of STARFISH!

A client inquired about my chapter on STARFISH in lieu of the Riley Cooper situation.  If you haven't read "The Surfer's Guide To Marketing" (and I can't possibly fathom why you haven't) STARFISH is my term for celebrities involved in corporate relationships, endorsements, etc.  We are currently discussing using professional athletes for a product placement campaign and the client brought up recent issues with Aaron Hernandez, Riley Cooper, A-Rod, and even Johnny "Heisman" Manziel.   While I would never profess to be the celebrity expert to the extent of Super Agent Leigh Steinberg, whom we featured in "The Surfer's Guide To Marketing," I do have significant experience in sourcing the right STARFISH personality to drive a company's awareness and messaging.

Recently, I wrote an in-depth post about a similar issue with Sergio Garcia and Tiger Woods so please feel free to read the post here.  But with this recent wave of stories making the news, it's difficult to avoid this discussion and as always, I tell clients to look at the individual and explore that specific STARFISH rather than just generalize.  I tend to use retired players due to their experience and availability but every brand, every event, and every STARFISH requires individual attention to determine their viability as a representative for your brand.

Much like a GM of a pro football team, you need to do your homework.  With someone like Riley Cooper (who recently made a racial slur that was caught on video) you could have probably gotten a feel for what kind of guy he is based on past record, his teammates, etc. When the video emerged, you can determine perhaps if it was an isolated incident or if perhaps he's not the best STARFISH to appear on the packaging of your product.  Obviously, in the immediate future, he won't need to be answering many calls from potential sponsors, but in general, you can get a feel for how a STARFISH carries themselves and represents themselves as a brand before they represent your brand.

Serious controversies like Aaron Hernandez, OJ Simpson, or Rae Carruth are not the typical situation most STARFISH get involved with so if we eliminate extreme cases, we can better dissect the risks involved with celebrity endorsements.  This offseason, there were reports about how over 30 NFL players were arrested since the Super Bowl and the world gasped!  Such an astronomical rate, right?  I would simply argue that these stats are not much different than that of the average 20 to 25 year old male.  Young men make more mistakes than the population as a whole and ask any insurance agent which demographic takes the brunt of playing "the law of averages" when determining rates.  While DUI, simple assault (bar fight), and other minor infractions are not acceptable under any circumstance, are NFL players dramatically worse than the average population in terms of most simple misdemeanors?

While someone like Johnny Manziel is obviously not eligible for securing endorsements as an amateur, would you be surprised that a 20-year-old famous guy in the social media age would have a few blips on the character radar? And let's be honest, his only "issues" involve maybe a few too many beers, sleeping in late, tweeting from sporting events, and going to a fraternity party.   In my day, that would have made him pretty much every other student in college not named Tim Tebow!  But seeing his reaction (which may even be a little justified with all the media piling on) would make me hesitant to recommend him for corporate opportunity if that option was available today.  I'm not defending any of the actions of players who end up in the news for the wrong reasons, but I just want to keep it in perspective.

Even when you do your homework, have worked with trusted STARFISH with impeccable reputations, or even have personal relationships, you might find yourself caught up in a celebrity's saga.  It's great PR when your STARFISH does something wonderful on or off the field.  After all, isn't that the purpose of even having the relationship?  Win the Super Bowl, donate to a charity, take time to mentor children in their community... it is all golden.  But even with a record of such service, it can all come into question when a player does something heinous... like leaving a $3 tip!

Obviously I'm being sarcastic when I bring up the Drew Brees "Tipgate" controversy.  Drew is also featured in "The Surfer's Guide To Marketing" and I highlight his community service and overall positive stance as a role model.  But even a "sure fire" endorser of brands including Pepsi and Pampers can find himself mixed up in a debate and his recent $3 tip (on a takeout order that he picked up, BTW) is quintessential ESPN filler for the nine hours of debate shows they air ad nauseum.  There is no controversy here and I would argue that Brees is one of the most courteous and generous STARFISH out there.  Nonetheless, the Super Bowl MVP has been brought into a discussion that explores his character and doesn't revolve around touchdowns or completions!

So what's the solution?  If you want to utilize STARFISH to drive your brand, you simply need to approach it like any other resource and do your homework.  "The Surfer's Guide To Marketing" explores step-by-step actions and suggestions you can take to ensure you make the best decisions possible and aside from simply creating your own mascot character for a spokesman, there will always be a variable of human error when dealing with humans!

Oh wait, didn't the AFLAC duck get fired for insensitive jokes?

The Surfer's Guide To Marketing's Tips on Starfish

With Sergio Garcia making negative headlines this week, his sponsors are backpedaling faster than a ball on the slick green on 17!  The irony is that the target of his abuse is Tiger Woods, himself no stranger to having brands turn their back on a once-promising relationship.  Having worked with hundreds of celebrities ranging from using their likeness on packaging, filming on-air spots, event appearances, and more, I have insight into the proper selection and use of talent to drive your marketing needs.  In my new book, The Surfer's Guide To Marketing, I discuss celebrity engagements, or what I call the use of Starfish.  Here is an outline of considerations when deciding if you should engage celebrity talent, what person to best align with for your brand, and the best practices to leverage your relationship with the celeb.  

Every brand is different and requires a unique voice, positioning, and style.  You speak to unique audiences and segments so we need to ensure that we all understand there is no one surfboard for every condition.  The next star might not be the right star.  So let’s explore some of the criteria for adding a Starfish to your roster.

1) Define what your brand is and what you want to say.   Write a few key words that your brand would demonstrate if it was a human being.  Are your shoes cool, sleek, stylish?  Is your vacuum cleaner reliable, easy, and quiet?  Whatever your brand identity is, make a note of it.

2) Who are you targeting?  It's Marketing 101 but we need to identify if we are looking at an upscale, cerebral demo or a fanatical, face-painting everyman.  While certain big names transcend the brand, it makes sense to ensure that the ideal representative is identifiable with your target.  Sports fans want athletes but the same probably can't be said for a mom at the retail make-up counter.  Ensure you have the right demo in mind before trying to sign a name to speak to them.

3) Credibility.  Knowing that Starfish are human (did I just write that?!), we can start to target athletes or artists that have the similar characteristics as your brand or appeal to the demographic.  Similar to the chapter on Environmentalists, this association must be true and relevant.  Michael Jordan can promote Haines because he wears underwear (I’m assuming).  But would he be a good Head & Shoulders pitch man since he’s bald?  Probably best saved for Troy Polamalu and his flowing mane.  The credibility of the Starfish is key to persuading the consumer to follow the spokesman’s lead.  

There are two parts to credibility; the Starfish’s perceived honesty and probability.  The first is simple; would a consumer believe the spokesman?  Are they honest or at least appear to be honest?  If a convicted felon appears on TV and tells you the hamburger shop down the road is great, do you automatically believe him?  

The second-half of credibility is the consumer’s impression that the Starfish is an expert in his field and the brand they use is a factor.  Their perceived expertise or ability to excel in their field while possibly using said product is a key to the story.  Halle Berry is beautiful and she probably uses the makeup she promotes to get there.  Sergio's clubs are TaylorMade and as the tools of his trade, it's a logical connection.  It’s a capable story that the consumer can associate with.  Does the identity, credibility, and expertise of the brand and Starfish intertwine?  If so, highlight those names and continue.

Take the brand attributes and the human characteristics we’ve listed in Step 1 and Step 2 and start to list appropriate Starfish that could support both columns.  Don’t worry at this point about unique factors like cost, accessibility, etc.  We can eliminate those later.

4) Appeal.  In the most vapid, vain line in The Surfer’s Guide To Marketing... I ask if the Starfish is attractive?  While it’s a no-brainer to have a beautiful supermodel promote makeup and clothing, a pitchman must skew high on a physically attractive scale based on the most primitive laws of attraction.  I discuss how our Brand Ambassadors need to meet a level of criteria that includes physical appearance because countless consumer research has the targeted demographic responding more favorably to those who they rank higher on a scale of attractiveness.  

While there are exceptions to every rule (Ask anyone who knows my beautiful wife and wonders if I’m holding her hostage in our marriage) the rule of attraction, combined with credibility, and awareness form the basis for your Starfish.  Sergio may not be quite a looker himself but the more appealing a Starfish is, the more likely they will be received by the public.  How often does Tom Brady's "movie star" looks come into the conversation when discussing his endorsements?   Check your list, highlight the Starfish who are still on the roster and now you know who would be an ideal representative for your brand.

5) Reality.  Even though Hugh Jackman is your ideal representative and his looks, honesty, and multi-talented acting and singing abilities would make your restaurant or clothing line a huge hit, is it feasible?  Many Starfish are not inexpensive and there are “levels” that you need to stay within if you are a smaller company or brand.  An MLS soccer player in your market would still drive traffic at literally one-hundredth of the cost of getting Wolverine to appear.  After all the exploration of the right celebrity for your brand, there needs to be a realistic look at what you can afford and the logistics of using the Starfish.   Perhaps the national star or league MVP mirrors a similar type of player on your city’s team that will have a great impact.  Replacing an Oscar winner with a reality star might fit both your brand and budget.  Explore the limitations and see if your ideal Starfish is able to swim with your brand.

Once you have the ideal candidate to represent your brand, you need to establish the best way to leverage that relationship.  For an entire discussion on how to utilize a Starfish in your campaign, check out The Surfer’s Guide To Marketing.

Randy Rovegno is an award-winning marketer with LONGBOARD Marketing and his list of brands he has created celebrity engagements for include ESPN, NFL, FOX, AT&T, Upper Deck, ABC, and more.  He has worked with countless athletes and celebrities including Drew Brees, Wayne Gretzky, Ray Romano, and more.  His new book, The Surfer's Guide To Marketing is available this week and features a humorous look at marketing and demonstrates his proven techniques and tips via real-world case studies.  Follow The Surfer's Guide To Marketing  on Facebook.
 https://www.facebook.com/TheSurfersGuideToMarketing