Interviews & Articles
Millsport's senior sports business executives are available for interviews, commentary, and analysis on a number of sports marketing and sponsorship topics. To arrange an interview, please contact Chris Anderson at (214) 259-3290.
Kobe's sitting pretty
May 13, 2008
Kobe's sitting prettyBy Tim Lemke | Washington Times
There was a time when Kobe Bryant was practically was untouchable — and not in a good way.
Corporate marketers wanted nothing to do with the Los Angeles Lakers guard even though Bryant was one of the best, most dynamic and highest-profile players in the NBA. The reason: Bryant had been charged with sexually assaulting a young woman during a 2003 visit to a resort in Eagle, Colo.
Nearly five years later, with that charge long dropped, a civil suit settled, a strong team behind him on the court and an MVP award on the mantel, Bryant has seen his image among marketers and fans finally go on the mend.
Time will tell whether Bryant will regain the level of appeal he once had, but a new deal with Vitaminwater and an expanded presence in other advertising campaigns suggest he is back on the rise as an endorser.
"His marketing is definitely on the uptick," said Darin Perry, director of sponsorship consulting for Millsport in Los Angeles. "We're a very forgiving society. It takes a little bit of time for all of the damaging elements to repair themselves."
Bryant has yet to regain endorsements from McDonald's, Nutella, Spalding and several other companies that dropped him during the scandal.
If time has healed some of his public relations wounds, Bryant has helped himself with his performance on the court this season. Bryant was named the league's MVP last week, his Lakers produced the best record in the Western Conference this season and the club is in the midst of a strong playoff run, all of which has given Bryant a platform to re-establish himself.
Shoe giant Nike maintained a relationship with Bryant during the scandal but used him sparingly until the criminal case was dropped and the civil case settled.
Bryant now is stepping back to the forefront, the main face of the company's campaign to promote its "Hyperdunk" shoe.
A commercial that appeared to show Bryant jumping over a speeding Aston Martin became a YouTube sensation, leaving fans debating whether he actually had pulled off the stunt. (Answer: No. It was done with camera tricks.)
The deal with Vitaminwater is seen as a coup for Bryant because Vitaminwater's parent company, Coca-Cola, dropped Bryant soon after he was charged with sexual assault.
Now Vitaminwater energetically promotes its partnership with Bryant. The company, for example, placed advertisements in the Los Angeles Times congratulating him on his MVP award.
"Kobe and Vitaminwater are a natural fit because he incorporates Vitaminwater into his training regimen both on and off the court," said Rohan Oza, senior vice president of marketing for Glaceau, the maker of Vitaminwater. "Kobe is dedicated to being a top performer on the court and is also dedicated to his off-court lifestyle — being a great family man and soccer dad."
The Davie-Brown Index, which scores celebrities for likability and recognition, shows Bryant's image has been improving since the end of last season. His "appeal" score has risen from 57 to 60 on a 100-point scale, still about 10 to 15 points lower than the Boston Celtics' Kevin Garnett and the Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James. His "endorsement" score is 58.23 — more than two points higher than last season but about 10 points lower than other top players.
Meanwhile, Bryant ranks second among NBA players in jersey sales behind only Garnett, according to figures from the NBA team store in Manhattan and NBA.com.
"Based on my experience, with Kobe it's a factor of time," said Henry Schafer, executive vice president of Marketing Evaluations, a marketing consultant company in New York. "He didn't address the situation effectively three or four years ago. This is an instance of time healing all wounds."
Bryant's image, of course, might have recovered sooner but for bouts of petulance over the past few seasons — trade demands and spats with coach Phil Jackson and ex-teammate Shaquille O'Neal.
Bryant delivered some incredible performances on the court — he scored 81 points against the Toronto Raptors two years ago, the second-highest total in league history — but praise from fans usually was offset by accusations of selfishness, particularly after two straight exits from the playoffs in the first round.
But marketing experts said this season Bryant has done well to let the wins do the talking.
"Kobe is a smart guy, a pretty genuine guy," Perry said. "Instead of trying to restore his image in the media, he's just played. And people have just begun to accept that he's not a bad guy. People are starting to say, 'Maybe he's made mistakes, but everybody's made mistakes, and we're buying what you're selling.' "
