In an era of media overload and ad-blocking, brands are increasingly enlisting celebrities to do their messaging legwork for them via social media. And they’re not just asking celebs to be spokespeople. They’re looking for ambassadors that can reach audiences in ways that are authentic to their own personal brands, rather than those that are affiliated with the products and services they’re paid to represent.
In professional sports, the relationships between athletes and brands are becoming seamlessly integrated and more measurable, in many cases moving far beyond the traditional and straightforward product endorsements. Brands see the power of reach that celebrities have, and the celebrities oftentimes earn more through sponsorships than they do playing their sport of choice.
From tennis shoes and sports drinks to cars and credit cards, fans like to buy products and services that their favourite athletes endorse on social media. But brands need to identify the right influencer and get them on board before the athlete is priced out of their budgets.