Chelsea F.C. Star Pimped Via Spam: "Want John Terry to Endorse Your Brand?"
Chelsea F.C.’s John Terry has distanced himself (but not completely disavowed) an embarrassing email from Riviera Entertainment, his marketing management company, which pimps him to potential sponsors — any sponsors. The email arrived with the subject header: “Want John Terry to endorse your brand?” (Click to enlarge image.)
It continued:
“The Fifa 2010 World Cup Finals in South Africa is fast approaching!”
“With this in mind Riviera Entertainment is identifying suitable commercial endorsement opportunities for its client John Terry for the period building up to the finals and beyond.
“John Terry is available to create effective brand awareness and endorse products and services globally.”
Terry put out this statement after the UK press pilloried the email for whoring Terry out like street meat:
“An email inviting commercial endorsements for me has been published,” he said. “This email was sent without my authority or knowledge and was not approved by me [or those advising me]. I have nothing further to say on the matter.”
Notice that Terry does not say he is severing his ties with the company, nor does he deny that he is looking to hook up with advertisers.
Many footballers have advertising contacts. Thierry Henry has appeared with Tiger Woods in BBDO’s ads for Gillette, and major cities have a billboards of a mostly naked David Beckham shilling Armani Exchange underwear. Terry himself already endorses Umbro sportswear, Pro Evolution Soccer, Samsung, Nationwide and King of Shaves.
The misstep here is that Riviera tried to sell Terry’s services via spam, as if he were a commodity, rather than quietly through a series of pitches and lunch meetings.
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Jim Edwards, a former managing editor of Adweek, has covered drug marketing at Brandweek for four years, and is a former Knight-Bagehot fellow at Columbia University's business and journalism schools. Follow him on Twitter or send him an email.
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