The Multiple Brand Personalities of David Beckham: A Case Study of the Beckham Brand
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Sport Marifeting Quarteriy, 2009,18,173-180, © 2009 West Virginia University
fabled soccer career was declining (Wahl, 2007). As he
The Multiple Brand fell from footballing (soccer) grace, Beckham's com-
mercial celebrity appeal also eroded as he lost several
Personalities of lucrative endorsement contracts, most notably as the
face man for Police sunglasses and the brand ambassa-
David Beckham: dor for Gillette (Leonard, 2006).
However, just as everyone was writing him off,
A Case Study of the Beckham, not for the first time in his fabled career,
reinvented himself. The soccer and entertainment
world was stunned in January 2007, when he signed
Beckham Brand with the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer
(MLS) in the United States, and the next phase of
Brand Beckham was launched. It began in sensational
style. In a sports world unfazed by gargantuan sports
John Vincent, John S. Hill, and Jason W. Lee contracts, Beckham signed a contract that amazed even
the most hardened of sports commentators. Worth an
estimated $250 million, over five years (Wahl, 2007),
The Rise, Fall, and Re-Ascension of Brand Beckham's Los Angeles Galaxy contract was signed
Beckham only after the passing of a new MLS rule, the "desig-
The career of David Beckham, celebrity soccer player, nated player rule" (subsequently dubbed the "Beckham
has had its highs and lows. But through it all, one thing rule"), which permitted MLS teams to pay above the
has remained constant, David Beckham has rarely ven- salary cap for two players. The contract was stunning,
tured out of the media or the public eye. For a decade, but fully reñected Beckham's global soccer notoriety
from his 1995 debut for Manchester United, his career and his Hollywood good looks. Carefully crafted by
went from strength to strength, his on-field brilliance Simon Fuller, the architect of American Idol and for-
matched only by his soaring marketing appeal in a mer manager of the Spice Girls, Beckham's MLS deal
sport that massively commercialized in the 1990s dwarfed that of marquee athletes in the traditionally
(Cashmore & Parker, 2003). mainstream American sports of football, baseball, and
But as he hit his thirties, the Beckham star began to basketball. Beckham's contract was thought to be justi-
fade, and from 2006, his career has experienced turbu- fied by his popular and global appeal. It enabled him
lence. After resigning the England captaincy in the to benefit financially from all his image rights, related
aftermath of England's disappointing exit at the quar- sponsorships and endorsements, as well as sharing in
terfinal stage of the 2006 World Cup, Beckham was team replica shirt and club ticket sales. In effect
subsequently dropped from the England national team Beckham's contract made him a partner with the Los
squad in August 2006. In 2003 he moved from Angeles Galaxy's owners, the Anschultz Entertainment
Manchester United to join famed Spanish soccer club. group, which had previously partnered with Beckham
Real Madrid. By the end of 2006, he could not hold on in developing his soccer academy in the Los Angeles
to his first team place and it seemed that Beckham's suburb of Carson, California, and Greenwich, close to
Beckham's birthplace in London (Patrick, Weinbach,
& Johnson, 2007).
John Vincent, PhD, is an associate professor in the The Beckham signing was deemed a watershed
Department of Kinesiology at the University of Alabama. moment for U.S. soccer. Don Garber, the MLS
His research interests include sport media and the inter- Commissioner declared that "David Beckham is a
section of gender, race, and nationality. global sports icon who will transcend the sport of soc-
John S. Hill, PhD, is a professor in the Culverhouse cer in America" ("Beckham to leave Real Madrid for
College of Commerce at the University of Alabama. His LA Galaxy," 2007, n.p.). The combination of
research interests include international business and Beckham's persona, English, tall, lean, good looking,
marketing, and strategic management. with glittering athletic skills, and a celebrity wife,
Jason W. Lee, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Victoria "Posh Spice" Beckham, was tailor-made for
Department of Leadership, Counseling and Instructional Hollywood, Los Angeles, and the MLS. It provided
Technology at the University of North Florida. His Beckham with new opportunities to generate excite-
research interests include socio-cultural aspects of sport, ment in U.S. soccer, reignite his soccer career and also
sport branding, and the use of film as an educational tool to ply his looks and commercial skills in the world's
in sport management. most lucrative marketplace—Hollywood.
Volume 18 • Number 3 • 2009 • Sport Marheting Quarteriy 173Beckham: On the Pitch (soccer) (Harris & Clayton, 2007). His importance to
the national team was highlighted when a broken
Beckham's distinguished playing career has been spent
metatarsal bone in his foot, two months before the
mainly with two of the most recognizable professional
2002 World Cup, bumped the death of the Queen
soccer teams in the world, Manchester United and Real
Mother from the front pages of several popular news-
Madrid. He built his reputation playing for
papers. Prime Minister Tony Blair publicly implored
Manchester United in the English Premier League.
the nation to be optimistic and the press, both English
During his 10 years at the club, Manchester United
and foreign, urged their readers to pray for his swift
dominated the English Premier League, which both
recovery so that he could play for England in the tour-
then and now is widely recognized as one of the best
nament. Beckham recovered in time to be featured in
and most competitive soccer leagues in the world.
the 2002 World Cup Finals, and scored the winning
During his tenure with Manchester United, Beckham
goal against England's arch-rival, Argentina, before the
won six English Premiership titles, and was a pivotal
team was eliminated by Brazil in the quarterfinals. In
member of the Manchester United team that won a
the same year Beckham was selected as the 33 rd great-
unique soccer treble in 1999, garnering the
est Briton of all time by the BBC, the highest position
Premiership, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions league in
attained by any sports figure (Harris & Clayton, 2007).
the same season. Though a midfielder, Beckham scored
86 goals for Manchester United (Halpin, 2007). Although Beckham is perhaps the epitome of the
Beckham's fame, though, was less from his goal-scor- successful postmodern global sport celebrity, his soccer
ing prowess than his ability to deliver pinpoint crosses, career has had its downtimes, during which he has
strike 40-yard penetrating through balls with unerring endured much hostility from England's soccer fans and
accuracy, and bend his signature free kicks around and severe criticism in the press. Such occurred in the 1998
over defensive walls (Giardina, 2003). World Cup finals, when, against arch-nemesis
Argentina, with the game delicately poised, Beckham
Beckham's international career has been luminous.
was given a red card and sent off from the field of play
In March 2008, Beckham represented the England
for retaliating against an Argentine player. This meant
national team for the 100th time, making him a mem-
that England was reduced to playing with 10 men, and
ber of a very exclusive club. Only four other
although the team held the 11 players representing
Englishmen, Peter Shilton (125), Bobby Moore (108),
Argentina to a draw in regulation time, they were elim-
Bobby Charlton (106), and Billy Wright (105) had
inated by a penalty shoot-out. This lapse of judgement
reached this milestone before Beckham ("David
did not go unpunished. England's national pride had
Beckham earns 100th cap for England," 2008).
been damaged and Beckham was widely vilified in the
Beckham's stellar international career has included
media for England's premature elimination from the
representing England in the 1998, 2002, and 2006
1998 Cup. Typifying the negative newspaper accounts
World Cup final tournaments, and he holds the dis-
of Beckham's sending-off. The Mirror's (1998) headline
tinction of being the first-ever English player to score
read "ten heroic lions, one stupid boy" (as cited in
in three successive World Cups. He served his country
Harris & Clayton, 2007, p. 1). After enduring a season
as its talismanic captain from 2000 through the 2006
of terrace taunts from opposing team fans, Beckham
World Cups. As captain, Beckham led his England
gradually rebuilt his soccer reputation and popular
team through example, including some at-times virtu-
appeal. Indeed the season after, he played a pivotal role
oso performances such as his last-minute bending free-
in winning three trophies, the Premier League, the F.A.
kick goal against Greece that secured the England
Cup [The Football Association Challenge Cup in
national team's qualification for the 2002 World Cup
English football (soccer)], and the European
Finals (Harris & Clayton, 2007).
Champions League, aptly dubbed the treble, with
Such performances for the national team endeared Manchester United in 1999. As his field performances
him to the English public and Beckham's right foot improved, so his image reached iconic status. It peaked
was even referred to as one of Britain's "national treas- in April 1999 when Time Owi magazine went as far as
ures" by Hugh Grant's character, in the 2003 film Love to portray Beckham as a pseudo-Christ-like figure and
Actually. This and other game-changing performances featured him on the front cover in white trousers and
propelled Beckham mania to unprecedented levels, see-through shirt in a pose evocative of Christ and the
even prompting The Sun newspaper to call for crucifixion. The caption read: "Easter Exclusive: The
Beckham to be knighted (Harris & Clayton, 2007). Resurrection of David Beckham" (Seenan, 2005).
Popular support was there, and in 2003, Beckham was
awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the In 2003, Beckham left Manchester United for Real
Queen's birthday honors list for services to football Madrid. They paid $41 million for his services as their
president, Florentino Perez, sought to build a club of
174 Volume 18 • Number 3 • 2009 • Sport Marketing Quarterlyglobal soccer superstars. Beckham joined a team that rations tap into the affinity and affection that a large
included the best-known names in the sport, including section of the public have for global sport stars, like
Frenchman Zinedine Zidane, Spain's Luis Figo, and David Beckham. Their hope is that sports endorse-
Brazil's Ronaldo. This turned out to be an ill-fated ments will cause fans to equate the image of the athlete
strategy as despite their galaxy of soccer super-heroes. with their products and services (Stone, Joseph, &
Real Madrid only won one trophy, Spain's La Liga title, Jones, 2003). Quahties such as the athlete's global pop-
during Beckham's time at the club. Commentators at ular appeal, recognition, credibility, overall fit, physical
the time, though, noted the club's upturn in commer- attractiveness, trustworthiness, expertise, personal char-
cial appeal and speculated that the true impetus for the acteristics, and cultural meaning transfer are what com-
transfer was more Beckham's global celebrity and icon- panies look for in athletes who endorse their products
ic appeal rather than his playing ability. There is some and services (Till & Busier, 2000). Their hope is that a
truth in this. Some commercial synergies were evident Beckham endorsement will add significant value to
with both Beckham and Real Madrid having sponsor- their products and services. Beckham, though, is
ship deals with Adidas and Pepsi. Both gained from unique as his iconic image extends far beyond the
Beckham's Spanish presence. Real Madrid's commercial sports arena into multiple areas, with each representing
revenue from club merchandise sales, such as replica a profit center for exploitation. He is, in effect, not one
shirts, increased 67% in Beckham's first season alone. brand, but an entire portfolio of brands, each repre-
The acquisition of Beckham also helped open up new senting a part of the chameleon-brand that is David
markets in Asia and the United States with exhibition Beckham.
matches and tours. Such was his impact that it was
claimed that the "Beckonomics" of the transfer helped The Celebrity Crossover Star: Multiple Brand
to propel Real Madrid past Beckham's former club Personality Beckham
Manchester United as the world's richest club in 2006 In the commercial world, the Beckham brand has
(Deloitte Annual Review of Football Finance, 2006). taken on "multiple personalities" or identities. Brand
Beckham has always had his critics, many of whom Beckham's multiple personalities or identities are what
note that his off-the-field persona masks deficiencies in makes him unique and valuable and can add value to
his on-field performances. Such critics cite that many different products and services. His brand has
Beckham is "less than the complete" soccer player, transcended the monolithic pure athlete persona and
while claiming that he is too one-dimensional in his this point was articulated by Harris and Clayton (2007)
abilities to deliver the telling through ball, the in- when they stated:
swinging corner, or the pinpoint crosses and free kicks. Beckham is without doubt one of the most signifi-
They point to his lack of genuine pace, his under- cant athletes of (post) modern times. He transcends
developed left-footed play, his poor heading, and his boundaries in a way that few (if any) other English
dearth of one-on-one dribbling skills. These deficien- athletes have ever done and (together with his
cies, they note, despite his stellar offensive set-piece wife) has become a truly global brand, (p. 219)
play, limit his overall team contribution at the highest Beckham bends more than soccer balls. While the
levels of the game. phrase "bend it like Beckham" refers to his almost
unique ability to curve a free kick around a defensive
Brand it Like Beckham wall and into a corner of the goal, in the media he also
Through his world-class soccer exploits and his multi- bends societal norms in a commercially appealing way.
ple off-field personas, Beckham has not just become a In this way the Beckham persona is truly multidimen-
brand, but a portfolio of brands. A brand is an intangi- sional. On the field and through his soccer achieve-
ble "mental box" or a creation or an association that ments, he is the epitome of the masculine sports male,
exists in the mind of the consumer that adds value to quintessentially English, from a working class back-
products and services (Aaker, 1996). In Beckham's case ground, and immensely talented.
his global popularity and iconic image has resulted in Off the field, his marketing image broadens to
him adding significant brand value and goodwill to the embrace other brand identities and personalities. He
various companies he is a spokesman for and the mul- appeals to aspiring youth as a "working-class-boy-
titude of different products and services that he made-good." To families he is portrayed as a loving
endorses. Together with his wife, Victoria, they actually father and adoring husband. To popular music fans he
have their own dVb (David and Victoria Beckham), is the proud husband of Posh Spice. Behaviorally, his
brand label. non-conformist tendencies appeal to youth's individu-
There are payoffs to global notoriety. It adds new alism. In the world of high fashion, his clothes, and
audiences of potential sponsors as international corpo- metro-sexual appeal attract the attention of "fashion-
Volume 18 • Number 3 • 2009 • Sport Marheting Quarterly 175istas" worldwide (Cashmore & Parker, 2003). Celebrity men; male, but with a penchant for nail varnish,
Beckham's appeal is in the eye of the beholder—a body-waxing, and androgynous attire, (p. 233)
commercial chameleon or floating signifier, whose Beckham's fashion sense has resulted in extraordi-
appeal depends on "...the role and audience he seeks nary appeal among the Black community. He sports
to address" (Cashmore & Parker, 2003, p. 214). chunky jewelry. He uses fashion to exude confidence
Beckham's uniqueness then is that while individual and sex appeal (Givhan, 2003). His hairstyles, clothes,
celebrities epitomize one of these elements, David and body ornamentation have developed into an
Beckham embraces a number of them. The interactions important part of the Brand Beckham iconic image.
among his various persona and images have given him Unlike most men, he changes hairstyles, and when he
enormous synergies in the media. His presence at an does it makes news. When he met Nelson Mandela,
event always gives the media multiple reporting angles. South Africa's first Black president, he wore Caribbean
There is always something to write about. braids. During the 2002 World Cup, he had a Mohican
Originally football (soccer) was Beckham's entrance cut. His body is adorned with tattoos including a
to stardom. But the turning point and the key to his winged crossed tattoo on the back of his neck. Under
multiple brand personality was almost certainly his normal (i.e., non-Beckham) circumstances, such
high-profile marriage to former Spice Girl and celebri- adornments would contradict his working class roots,
ty socialite, Victoria "Posh Spice" Adams, who became soccer prowess, and strong family image. But in the
famous in the late 1990s as a member of the Spice media he is anchored with a strong hetero-masculine
Girls, a pop music group formed by Simon Fuller's 19 image. This occurs in spite of his constant infringe-
Entertainment. Their antics and celebrity lifestyles ments of traditional working class football (soccer)
made tabloid headlines wherever they went, as did culture that emphasizes the strong masculine image
their highly publicized friendships with movie and and which normally vilifies any hint of effeminacy.
popular music stars (Yu, 2005). Such characteristics unveil Beckham as being the style
Individually, they were icons. Together, they became icon, who embraces the values of metro-sexual man.
an overpowering commercial force that attracted more This image presents Beckham as well groomed and
than twice the attention. Victoria Beckham receives as manicured, someone who moisturizes regularly, and
much interest from the media paparazzi as her hus- who with his wife endorses a line of fragrance brands.
band and is known for her fashion sense and glamour. The Beckham body, hard and toned, is aligned with his
"Posh and Becks" as they are affectionately known metro-sexual tendencies and that also makes him a
have been labeled as the people's royalty. Their @.5 mil- popular figure in the gay community. Far from dis-
lion (or approximately $5 million U.S.) home in couraging this androgynous image, Beckham chooses
Hertfordshire has been dubbed Beckingham Palace. to reinforce this "bi-sexual persona" through his choice
Piers Morgan, the former editor of The Mirror newspa- of fashions as well as appearances in gay magazines.
per revealed "... on a slow news day we used to lead This image peaked in 2002, when in an issue of the
the paper on the royals, now we go for Queen Posh men's magazine GQ, Beckham posed for photographs
and King David" (Morton, 2000, p. 19). in what was promoted as "his most outrageous shoot."
Beckham was photographed complete with facial make-
Dissecting the Multiple Brand Personalities up, baby oil on his uncovered chest, wearing a white
Beckham's potent combination of sporting prowess, silk scarf, and nail varnish. The shoot was reported
physical attractiveness, sex appeal, celebrity marriage, under the headline "Camp David" in The Mirror
working class roots, capacity for hard work, and multi- (Harris & Clayton, 2007). This was an obvious blurring
faceted masculinity make him a model endorsement of male-female images. It worked because, as Rahman
prospect for many global companies (Yu, 2005). His (2004) suggests, Beckham "...sells precisely because he
image as a wholesome, clean-living, devoted family is constructed and represented with reassuring and dis-
man juxtaposed with his penchant for bending con- sonant elements of masculinity" (p. 231).
ventional rules maximizes his appeal to multiple Beckham's family-man image is similarly so robust
demographic segments (Giardina, 2003). His mascu- that not only did his reported affair in 2004, with per-
line identity is firmly rooted in his athleticism. But a sonal assistant Rebecca Loos, fail to substantially
large part of Beckham's appeal can be traced to his undermine his wholesome family image; his commer-
non-conformity and contradictions or his androgy- cial appeal not only did not falter, it was actually
nous blends of opposites. As Cashmore (2006) put it, enhanced in some regards (Cashmore, 2006). It tran-
Beckham reverberated with inclusiveness. White, spired that his alleged affair seemed to reinforce his
but with Black tastes; straight, but adored by gay heterosexual credibility and his appeal as the working
class hegemonic man (Clayton & Harris, 2004). It also
176 Volume 18 • Number 3 • 2009 • Sport Mariieting Quarteriyprovided a counter-narrative to the notion that group. Each brand is similar, but has its own personal-
Beckham represented a kind of new age man emascu- ity (Aaker 1996). In Beckham's case, each persona is a
lated by his allegedly dominant ex-Spice Girl ("girl- distinct segment, and from a business perspective, each
powered") wife who reportedly chooses his clothes and is a profit center.
fashion accessories.
Beckham's global appeal is evidenced by the high Beckham's Brand Equity
percentage of people in Asia who recognize him. Over Aaker (1996) defined brand equity as "a set of assets
three years, he appeared in 150 countries in Gillette and liabilities linked to a brand, its name and symbol,
shaver advertisements. The Japanese Meiji Seika that add to or subtract from the value provided by a
chocolate and confectionary company made a three- product or service to a firm and/or that firm's cus-
meter high chocolate statue figure of Beckham as part tomers" (p. 10). That is, brand equity is the value of
of his endorsement of their confectionary before the the brand to the owner. The two main components of
2002 World Cup finals. Beyond that, Monks at a brand equity are the creation of awareness and image.
Buddhist shrine in Thailand even molded a gold-plated In terms of brand awareness, Beckham is one of the
Beckham that people can worship (Yu, 2005). world's most recognizable athletes with the media
As Gashmore (2006) stated, Beckham is a "moving paparazzi following his every move. Additionally,
advertisement" (p. 9). What is evident is that Brand Beckham's endorsements have very high levels of pub-
Beckham has undergone a metamorphosis from the lic awareness (Rines, 2004). The other component of
early days when his appeal was predicated on his soc- brand equity is image. This refers to the cumulative
cer playing ability and his credibility as a world-class effect of all the associations' people have with
professional soccer player to a more complex multifac- Beckham's multi-dimensional appeal. Brand
eted brand. This change has been carefully crafted by Beckham's image is predicated on his multi-brand per-
his management agency, 19 Entertainment, and been sonalities. The benefits of Beckham's multi-dimension-
broadly based on his global fashion icon and jetsetter al global appeal and loyal fan following are that it
appeal (Yu, 2005). He has endorsed sports cars, air- enables his management agency to generate a portfolio
lines, chocolates, and electronic durable products, and of separate endorsements held together by the
has represented Motorola, Gillette, Pepsi, Upper Deck, Beckham persona. This gives him significant brand
Vodafone, Gastrol, Marks & Spencer, and Goty (Rines, equity. In 2005, the sum total of Beckham's brand
2004). Beckham's sporting endorsement contracts portfolio value was estimated to be approaching $400
includes the Adidas predator pulse thumbprint shoe million (Yu, 2005).
that he wore in the 2006 World Gup, which incorpo-
rated an image of his thumb print into the shoe design. I Love LA
Beckham is also contracted to wear his branded Adidas David Beckham's decision to play for the Los Angeles
predator shoes and an Adidas uniform while playing Galaxy was monumental for the league, the club, and
for the Los Angeles Galaxy. the player. For the MLS, it was a significant coup to
attract a player of Beckham's stature. Shortly after sign-
Beckham the Brand Portfolio ing him, Don Garber, the commissioner of MLS, was
Beckham's multi-faceted persona has, perhaps unique- quoted in the Wall Street Journal as saying, "Having
ly in the sporting world, made him not just a brand, David play in the most commercially robust market in
but a portfolio of brands. Brand portfolios are collec- the world clearly is going to generate significant income
tions of related brands that are marketed as separate for both the Galaxy and the league" (Patrick et. al.,
entities to appeal to different segments within a given 2007, p. B2). But even this necessitated an MLS rule
market (Barwise & Robertson 1992). David Beckham is change to modify the designated player rule, which now
not just a brand with a distinct personality; he is a states that each franchise can sign two players who can
portfolio of brands, each emanating from the different be paid more than the league maximum salary of
roles he plays in life—soccer player, father, husband to $400,000. From the league's perspective, Ivan Gazidis,
Posh, fashionista, sexual icon, and so on. We all play MLS Deputy Gommissioner, justified the MLS's strate-
multiple roles in life—a man may be a father, husband, gic investment in Beckham by claiming that he would
employee, and soccer coach for example. Each is a role deliver value to MLS broadcast partners and sponsors
that often requires different personalities to implement and also increase the value of all MLS teams. The sign-
successfully. In Beckham's case, each of his roles, ing also came at a critical time in the league's develop-
through media scrutiny and marketing magnification, ment. In 2007, the MLS, which was created in the
has become a separate brand—each different, but all aftermath of the United States hosting the 1994 World
managed from Beckham Brand Gentral, his marketing
Volume 18 • Number 3 • 2009 • Sport Marketing Quarteriy 177Cup, negotiated its first compensated TV deal with Angeles is a "... tremendous opportunity. LA is the
ESPN, Univision, and Fox Soccer Channel. The deal is world's best celebrity platform location. This is a great
worth $20 mulion a year. The league is also in the brand extension opportunity for him, and soccer is
throes of expansion, adding Toronto F.C. and San Jose largely irrelevant" ("Beckham to leave Real Madrid for
in 2007 and 2008, respectively. The league also has LA Galaxy," 2007).
plans to add two other franchises in Portland and
Philadelphia in 2010 (Bell, 2007). Is the Grass Greener on the Other Side?
For the LA Galaxy, signing Beckham was the lynchpin Beckham's debut for the Los Angeles Galaxy against
to the club's marketing strategy, where his global appeal the English Premier League team, Chelsea, occurred in
is being used to great marketing eftect. Initial marketing front of a packed Home Depot Stadium and was
and promotion eftbrts have included creating a new broadcast live by ESPN. However, the Beckham star
team logo, a shirt sponsorship deal, and the provision of was dimmed as he arrived in Los Angeles with an
a post-season team tour of Asia. Tim Leiweke, the presi- injury and this limited his appearances for the Galaxy.
dent and CEO of Anschultz Entertainment Group, It also hindered the impact he was able to make play-
which owns the Galaxy, claimed that within three ing for the Galaxy in his first season. In addition he
months of signing, Beckham had already "paid for him- joined a struggling Galaxy team in mid-season, which
self." He noted that since Beckham's arrival at the failed to qualify for the post-season play-offs, and
Galaxy, the club had sold-out their luxury suites, attract- resulted in a change of coaching staff. Although there
ed 11,000 season ticket holders, inked a groundbreaking were high points in Beckham's second season for the
shirt sponsorship deal worth an estimated $20 million Galaxy, including his scoring from his own half in a
with Herbalife, and had increased merchandise sales by game against the Kansas City Wizards, the team strug-
700% for the Galaxy and by 300% for the league gled to find peak consistency to win games. Midway
("Beckham already having a commercial impact on through the season, with the team languishing in a
U.S.," 2007; Wahl, 2007). Clearly, in its early stages, the mid-table position the club's historic coaching prob-
Beckham deal was paying off. lems continued when the head coach Ruud GuUit left
For Beckham, too, the deal is working. Clifford the club by mutual consent, and the general manager,
Boxham of Octagon, a United Kingdom sports man- Alexi Lalas, was fired. However, Beckham's own form
agement agency believes that the move also helps for the Galaxy in his second season with the club was
Beckham finish his career as an impact player, which good and his England international career was revived
he has always been throughout his career. This was a by new England manager Franco Capello.
shrewd move. It would have been difficult for However, off the field, brand Beckham made an
Beckham to have maintained his status in the hyper impressive debut in the United States. Since their
competitive European leagues, outside a star-studded arrival in Los Angeles in the late summer of 2007, the
team such as Manchester United. Then, too, there is Beckham duo has garnered significant publicity and
also his crossover appeal, tailor-made for the laissez- media attention. Beckham was featured on the front
faire lifestyles of the Hollywood market, which would cover of Sports Illustrated and launched his own weekly
be less pronounced in Europe than in the United States television show David Beckham's Soccer USA on the
(Patrick et. al, 2007). Fox Soccer Channel and MLSnet.com. Victoria also
A number of question marks remain, however. starred in her own one-off television show Victoria
Although the Bend It like Beckham movie created Beckham: Coming to America. Evidence of Beckham's
curiosity, David Beckham, the worldwide soccer continuing appeal is exemplified by his appearance in
celebrity, is not as famous in the United States as he is an Armani advertisement in tight white y-fronts
in many other parts the world where soccer is the pre- (briefs) in December, 2007. The advertisement helped
eminent sport and his soccer skills are widely acknowl- increased sales of the y-fronts by 260%, ("Beckham's
edged and appreciated. He will also be trying to make ad is not pants," 2008). In collaboration with Coty, the
an impact in a market where soccer is still positioned world's largest fragrance house, the duo launched the
behind the traditional powerhouse sports of football, Intimately Beckham line of "his" and "hers" fragrances.
basketball, and baseball. But there is hope, as the In addition through their newly created dVb (David
Beckham persona has faced and overcome this chal- and Victoria Beckham) brand label they launched a
lenge before. His ability to rise above his sport and range of sunglasses and a denim collection. In 2007,
make an impact can be seen by his popularity in Japan, the dVb brand opened its first concession in the
a nation where sumo wrestling and baseball are more famous Harrods department store in the west end of
popular than soccer. Michael Levine, an experienced London's famed shopping district. From a global per-
publicist, concluded that Beckham's move to Los spective, too, their West Coast location has enabled the
178 Volume 18 • Number 3 • 2009 • Sport Marheting QuarteriyBeckhams to expand their global notoriety across the sportsman, the dedicated fashionista with metrosexual
Pacific. In conjunction with Japanese design label tendencies, the working class lad made good, or the
Samantha Thavassa, Victoria Beckham has developed Hollywood celebrity. Now for successful exploitation
her own line of handbags and a jewelry collection each role or persona must be addressed through differ-
available in Japan (dVbstyle.com, 2008). In September ent marketing or brariding strategies and leveraged in
2008 Victoria Beckham's showcased her first dVb line distinctive ways to appeal to different market segments.
of dresses in New York Fashion Week. She designed But together they increase brand value. Beckham's mul-
the dresses herself and received positive reviews. The tiple iconic images have become a portfolio of brands
early indications then suggest that the Beckham brand able to add value or generate brand equity for multiple
has benefited greatly from their move to Hollywood. products and services. This is Beckham's uniqueness
In 2009, it is anticipated that David and Victoria and what made him so attractive to MLS, which is hop-
Beckham will continue to develop their family, fashion, ing that Beckham's global brand value and enduring
and entertainment brand identities through their joint appeal will provide the league with greater recognition
dVb label as well as continuing to lend endorsements and improve its image. It is why they were prepared, in
to other global brands. However, doubts remain as to effect, to partner with him in a contract that is poten-
whether brand Beckham will be able to overcome soc- tially twice as lucrative as the contract that baseball
cer's second-class status in the United States. player Alex Rodriguez signed with the New York
Furthermore, skeptics question whether the popular Yankees. Whether the benefits from improved recogni-
appeal of the duo will withstand Beckham's inevitable tion and image can be sustained in the long run by
decline as a world class soccer player. They claim that MLS remains open to question.
much of Beckham's brand identity is still predicated on Although there are obvious lessons for other elite
his physicality and athletic prowess as a world-class sports stars that desire to crossover into other arenas, it
soccer player and that his other brand appeals will should be acknowledged that Beckham is thus far
erode in tandem with his declining soccer status. unique in the sports world in the way his brand per-
Similarly, Victoria's singing career, which is what made sonalities are leveraged in so many distinct
her famous originally, has been in decline for many ways. Manchester United fans used to chant from the
years. Although she reunited with the Spice Girls for terraces "there's only one David Beckham." Today,
their worldwide reunion tour in 2007, her recent solo while still true, it has been the successful leveraging of
efforts have not been commercially successful. Set his multiple brand personalities that have made him
against the declining status of both their original into a true global sports brand. In essence, Beckham is
careers, only time will tell whether the Beckham brand perhaps the ultimate in how good marketing can make
will continue to prosper. the brand.
From a branding perspective, though, David
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180 Volume 18 • Number 3 • 2009 • Sport Marheting QuarteriyYou can also read
