Do Athlete Endorsements Sell Products?
If an athlete endorses a product, does it sell? This is the first of several blog posts we intend to write about the process of endorsements by pro athletes.
There is no doubt that corporations benefit when they hire pro athletes to endorse their products. The exposure is priceless when millions (or more) people watch an event in which an athlete is utilizing his sponsor's product. As for the question as to how much help an athlete's endorsement offers to a product's sales, that can only be answered on a case-by-case basis. This article implies that Lance Armstrong's endorsement of these Oakleys may help the company sell them for $400 apiece.
Corporations don't always have a strong process for following up on their endorsement money and tracking actual sales. It could be that these glasses will sell for $4,000 because they are solidly made, available in limited quantities (only 200 pairs are being produced), and have acquired a special status as sought-after by luxury consumers. How much of that aura surrounding the product can be traced back to the athlete's endorsement? It may be nearly impossible to definitively answer that question.
