-OBTAIN ENDORSEMENTS FOR SPORTS/EVENTS SEM II-2.07A

Endorsement(s) Is an act of giving one's public approval or support to someone or something. Testimonial in advertising, written or spoken statement endorsing a product. Athlete/Entertainer actually becomes a ‘human brand’.  Must possess two kinds of key attribute groupings:  those you see on the field  those you see off the field

On-field Attributes Performance quality Winning record Skill Style Potential These attributes speak for themselves. Brands want their endorsers to be successful, to be skillful and to play the game in style.

Off-field Attributes Personality Physical attractiveness Uniqueness or unique personal background Role model Relationship with fans Brands should look for athletes who possess most of the off- field attributes above. Even when one of these attributes is clearly not achieved, possessing the on-field attributes and the other off-field ones may just be enough.

Considerations in Obtaining Endorsements Must be positive, charismatic, trustworthy Must be someone consumers know Career must be active…usually Someone who presents few risks Must be believable

Reasons for Obtaining Endorsements Add to credibility of product/company Cut through commercial clutter

Benefits Obtained from Endorsements Fans will buy endorsed products Viewers less likely to turn commercial off Consumers believe celebrities

Why learn how to develop a sport/event licensing program? Sales of licensed products:  Generate billions and billions of dollars each year  Create plenty of work for sport/event marketers It’s important for the people in charge of licensing to:  Develop licensing systems carefully  Maintain licensing systems carefully Licensing mistakes can prove to be disastrous:  For licensors  For licensees  In finances

Licensing programs exist for three main reasons: Profit Public relations Protection  One company allows another to use its trademarked property to manufacture and sell products.  Licensors legally protect all of the organization’s names, logos, slogans, and graphics by registering them as trademarks.  Without a trademark—any manufacturer could use a logo on its merchandise and profit from it.  With a trademark—licensors have the right to charge that manufacturer to do so and to collect part of the profits.

The Basics of Trademarks Trademark: a word, name, symbol, or device used by a person, generally a manufacturer or merchant, to identify and distinguish its goods from those manufactured and sold by others. Includes/covers: Words Names Symbols Devices Internet domain names Pictures Slogans Examples—“Monday Night Football,” Churchill Downs, Nike “swoosh” logo, Rollerblade, trading card pictures, “Sports is life…the rest is just details.”

Service mark a word, name, symbol, or device used to identify and distinguish a company’s services, including a unique service, from those of another service provider. Signifies services rather than goods Professional sport franchises are considered sport services. Examples—“NFL,” “The Chicago Bulls,” “MLB” Personal training and fitness are also sport services. Example—World Gym name and logo

Trade Dress a particular type of trademark that protects the distinctiveness of the appearance and image of a good or service Protects a product’s packaging Graphics Size Texture Shape Color or color scheme Particular sales techniques Example—athletic shoeboxes Protects distinctive décor and atmosphere Applies heavily to stores and restaurants ESPN Zone

Collective Mark a trademark or service mark used by members of a cooperative, association, or other group or organization.  Nation Hockey League Players Association  Major League Soccer  DECA

Mark a shorthand reference to any type of mark, including trademarks, service marks, and collective marks

Registered Mark a mark registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office  © TM ® SM

Trademarked Property trademarks are owned by the entity (licensor) that registers them and no other entity may use them or the likeness without permission from the licensor.

Trademark infringement the reproduction, counterfeiting, copying, or imitation, in commerce, of a registered mark In commerce—the company copying the mark is using it to sell its own products. Copy doesn’t have to be exact, just enough to cause customer confusion.  A four-ring logo would be close enough to the Olympic five- ring logo to cause confusion.

CAPS (Coalition to Advance the Protection of Sports Logos) “Logo cops” Formed in the early 1990s Addresses trademark protection and enforcement concerns for all the major sport leagues and college athletic departments Works closely with law enforcement to assist in the investigation and prosecution of trademark violators Offers guidelines to educate consumers on how to distinguish real merchandise from fake  High product quality  Tightly woven embroidered logos  Intact garment tags