Was at the store this morning after a long-course-meters workout and while checking out my two gallons of milk among other items I notice that US Magazine has an Amercian Heroes issue.
So, the celebrity industrial complex is hard at work now picking some temporary American icons for the typical American housewife to adore. (Wait, do we have housewives anymore?) In the half-inch thick magazine I was surprised to see that Ryan Lochte got top billing or he was the first athlete profiled over all the rest. Next came Michael Phelps.
I was surprised and it also taught me something both PR-and-marketing wise: Never pre announce your retirement unless it's your farewell tour and you are getting a cut of the ticket sales.
When Phelps announced his retirement some years ago, he simply put a shelf-life date on his endorsement potential. In other words, if he never talked about retirement I suspect he would have been on the front page of that magazine and booked solid till 2016.
Here is what Ryan Lochte's website has to say about it: [Link]
12 comments:
Was it in alphabetical order?
Let me go ask Nathan Adrian. ;-)
Hope the picture inside of the magazine looks more masculine.
Did you notice how the other three athletes on the cover look like they are pointing up at Lochte and laughing?
well, I actually noticed something else that I won't say.
Anonymous Anonymous said...
Hope the picture inside of the magazine looks more masculine.
jaja.. más masculino? a ver si a Lochte le va a pasar como a Thorpe
I think Phelps has built a strong line of long term sponsors and he will continue to endorse them, even after he retires from swimming. Most of his sponsors are golden IOC partners, and he's the greatest Olympian ever, so, there you go. Omega, Visa, Hilton hotels are the most important in that regard. Phelps sees himself as a part of swimming/IOC establishment in the future and I'm sure his presence will be strong even if he doesn't compete. Not sure what happens with his Speedo endorsement (I think it ends in 2013), he's been distancing himself from Speedo for several years now. I won't be surprised if he doesn't renew his contract in favor of Under Armour.
Liliana
HAHAHAHA! - Actually the most "macho" and ripped people I know are gay.
Omega will keep him because of the the association with Omega timing.
Speedo must be frustrated that he took on a contract with "under armor" and that Bowman outed to ESPN how much he hated swimming.
Essentially being a brand ambassador who hates his job is the moral equal of saying you hate your uniform.
I think 75% his endorsement deals will end.
Not sure how "I don't enjoy swimming anymore" translates into "I hate swimming", but what do I know?
Phelps' legacy is something he's been building all his life and after 20 years of hard work (I don't care about Clary's remarks) and constant success it's only natural to feel a bit saturated.
If your job is to go swimming day after day and you only show up 30% of the time, I don't think my assumption that he hates his job is that far off.
Interesting pose he is putting on there! I can't wait for the Lochte v Phelps showdown in the IM. Will be one of the great moments of the Olympics.
It will be a great showdown if the margin between first and second is separated by .01 of a second.
I wonder how a tie would shave be perceived
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