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Writing Samples

Super Bowl 51 Advertisement Analysis

       Online homestay network Airbnb took an aggressive stance on immigration with their “We Accept” campaign. This 30-second spot incorporated Emotion and Truth, blindsiding viewers from football and fun. After Trump’s controversial immigration ban against Muslims and the Middle East, Airbnb supported minorities through a truthful, sincere message averaging 30 words – ticking over glowing faces. Melancholic piano melodies created a vulnerable soundtrack gripping the audience’s emotions.

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      “Everyone deserves to be accepted” was a universal truth presented in this ad. It worked effectively by reinforcing #WeAccept, sparking conversation and debate on social media. It was a brave and unique ad harnessing the importance of inclusion within business and consumer interaction during turmoil. But the advertisement appeared to be very opportunistic yet effective. The vacation rental company provided a voice to the voiceless.

 

     Ad Age ranked the #WeAccept campaign at number eight on their “Top 10 Digital Share of Voice Ads.” Airbnb achieved 63.7 million television impressions, 1.3 million earned online views and 157.7 million social impressions. Twitter offered hyperawareness about Airbnb’s heavy discrimination towards black customers. Conservative tweeters disregarded the ad and redirected attention to homeless war veterans. A majority of the buzz value focused on Trump’s presidency and his problematic executive orders. Personally, the ad was not a favorite of mine because it was too emotionally overwhelming.

           

      Mobile carrier T-Mobile decided to remain politically silent with their football-themed ad. However, they followed suit with a #UnlimitedMoves campaign featuring Justin Bieber. The Canadian singer acted as a brand spokesperson, speaking fifty-three words on the 60-second spot. Like Airbnb, this ad remained under the 70-word limit. It did not showcase a universal truth. David Lee’s three creative trends were absent while Bieber appeared disengaging and complacent.

         

      The ad was heavily ineffective and a waste of space. Adweek crowned #Unlimited Moves as their “Worst Ads of Super Bowl LI”. Tim Nudd viewed Bieber’s stiffness and inability to persuade as the brand’s crucial downfall. However, Nudd placed it at number four on their “Digital Share of Voice” ranking. Bieber’s commercial accumulated 65.8 million tv impressions, 2.5 earned online views and 359.7 million social impressions. Justin Bieber’s massive, die-hard fan base avidly supported his boring efforts. Terrell Owens appeared to be more enthusiastic with his dance moves. There was not much buzz or talk value regarding pop culture references.

Personally, #UnlimitedMoves was my least favorite of the night. It was poorly designed and executed. Bieber was over-dressed for the commercial and too serious with his tone. The cavemen were randomly interjected in the space. My dislike for his music did not create any personal bias to the ad. Overall, the mobile competitor could have excelled with another musician or celebrity. 

During the Super Bowl, I analyzed Airbnb and T-Mobile's advertisement perceptions, commercial analytics and social media reception. This was a writing assignment for my Advertising writing course. 

A White Paper on The Implications of DUI’s & Athletic Endorsements 

Abstract

Sneaker brands pride themselves on innovation and endorsement lineups with hopes of increasing brand awareness and equity. According to Forbes, Nike has inked deals with top NBA performers such as LeBron James ($52 million), Kevin Durant ($33 million), Russel Westbrook ($19 million) and Kyrie Irving ($14 million) (Bandenhausen, 2018).  These powerful marketing strategies exist on preface of an athlete’s right to publicity – or the commercial use of their identity (Anderson, McCarthy, 2001, p.197). However, the rise of scandals off the court have resulted in brands being weary of signing prominent individuals. Endorsement deals have become stricter as an insurance buffer for both parties. Are advertising campaigns better off without problematic endorsees? This white paper intends to recommend the best way to handle Miami Heat star Adonis Porter’s DUI scandal in relationship to his Nike sneaker deal with a moral clause.star studded

 

The Challenge: Young Stardom, Poor Decisions and Sneaker Deals   

The NBA offers basketball prodigies opportunities to make millions of dollars by opting out of playing for free in the NCAA. Young athletes are excelling in professional sports before reaching 25. Their notoriety and performance have resulted in million dollar sneaker deals with brands like Nike, Under Armor and Adidas. Celebrity endorsements are used to validate product features while appealing to millennial audiences on social media. However, young stardom also comes with immaturity that has led notable athletes including Kobe Bryant, Michael Vick, Lance Armstrong and Tiger Woods to severed deals due to sex scandals, doping and criminal charges. Since 2003, 75% of endorsement contracts have included moral clauses due to signee ages, endorser moral character and the contract’s financial value (Auerbach, 2015, p.4). When scandals arise, some brands choose to stick by their endorser’s side while others axe relationships due to pressure. i

 

Background: Endorsement Contracts, Global Sponsorship & Impacts of a DUI 

California State law defines an endorsement contract as: “any contract or agreement pursuant to which a person is employed or receives remuneration for any value or utility that the person may have because of publicity, reputation, fame or following obtained due to athletic ability or performance” (Auerbach, 2005, p.2).  When athletes sign these brands are authorized to use their likeness for product support or development related to their athletic sport (Auerbach,2005, p.2). According to Statista, $62.7 billion was spent on sponsorship last year and America earned $16.7 billion in revenue. They define sponsorship as “support, either financially or through products and services that an individual or company provides to others”. Michael D. Sykes II ofSBNation views sneaker endorsements as a hierarchy. They begin as annual renewable merchandise deals. As the player’s career develops, they are offered cash deals as bonuses worth up to $250,000 over 3-5 years. Individuals who perform at LeBron and Kobe’s caliber are offered exclusive branded sneakers which allow players to earn millions (Sykes, 2017)contracts ,

 

PGA golfer Tiger Woods was once a respected athlete with a net worth of a billion dollars. But at the time of his 2017 DUI in South Florida, he was making under $40 million. His sponsorship portfolio included Nike, TaylorMade and Bridgestone Golf clubs, Kowa Pharmaceuticals and Monster Energy (Wile, 2017). At first, these brands were silent during the uproar but they supported him. According to Bill Briggs, Nike has been known to  “shelf and rehabilitate their athletes until they are commercially viable” (Briggs, 2009). They have done this with Kobe Bryant during his rape allegations and it turned out fine because he appeals to “consumers who like a little rebellion” and companies can build campaigns around their perceived image (Briggs, 2009).  

 

Recommendation: Shelf Porter’s Campaign or Continue?

Based on Nike’s past handling of problematic athletes, it is best to shelf his campaign. Adonis Porter is still young and it would be best for him to focus on reassessing his behavior and decision-making. When he is in a better headspace, we can resume the campaign. Since we have spent millions in production, our media team can spread the campaign out throughout the rest of the NBA season. It is also best to examine if his contract has a strong moral clause for future financial issues. 

 

Conclusion

It is important to make sure endorsement contracts have a strong moral clause to reduce financial loss. Each year, college athletes pass up on the opportunity to play in the NCAA to earn millions in the NBA. These young prodigies may shine on the court but often pose a risk due to age, credibility maturity. Negative publicity may boost a campaign or completely tarnish the brand’s relationship to the endorsee. Miami Heat star Adonis Porter is still a young player and his DUI is a mere mishap of poor decision-making. Since Nike has a history of shelfing problematic athletes, it would be best to follow said blueprint with Mr. Porter. This way, the negative attention will die down and he would be able to focus on the game. The campaign can be launched later in the year when he has a good reputation in the media.and

 

References

Badenhausen, K. (2018, February 20). The 2018 NBA All-Stars: Players Who Earn The Most From Endorsements. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2018/02/17/the-2018-nba-all-stars-players-who-earn-the-most-from-endorsements/#2eb41f501755

 

McCarthy, J. T., & Anderson, P. M. (2001). Protection of the Athlete's Identity: E Right of Publicity, Endorsements and Domain Names. Marquette Sports Law Review, 11(2), spring, 196-209. Retrieved March 20, 2018.

 

Sponsorship spending worldwide 2007-2018 | Statistic. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2018, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/196864/global-sponsorship-spending-since-2007/

Sykes, M. D. (2017, June 22). How do NBA shoe deals work? Retrieved March 21, 2018, from https://www.sbnation.com/2017/6/22/15843134/nba-shoe-deals-nike-adidas-under-armour-guide

 

Wile, R. (2017, May 30). Tiger Woods DUI: Could Golf Star Lose Nike Endorsement Deal? | Money. Retrieved March 21, 2018, from http://time.com/money/4797618/tiger-woods-dui-endorsements-net-worth/

I was required to create a white paper for my brand management class arguing the implications of DUIs and athlete marketing. 

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