Why Franchise Brands Love Pro Athlete Endorsements

Franchise brands utilize a range of marketing tactics, and endorsements by pro athletes are a powerful method. While having the backing of an athlete is exciting in its own right, the decision to work with one is much more strategic than it may appear at the surface level.

One of the primary draws of seeking athlete endorsements is the audience that an athlete can bring along. There are millions of viewers for various sporting events each year, and the relationship that people have with “their” team or favorite athlete is truly unique.

In many cases, professional athletes build a following that will continue to engage with the individual with less of a focus on where that individual is. Whether they transfer teams or work with a different retail brand, the audience members who are committed to the athlete as a person or role model will continue to engage.

Pro Athlete Endorsements Increase Exposure and Demand

This one is simple. If an athlete endorses your brand, their audience is also your audience. With many athletes having millions of followers on social platforms, having an endorsement is an easy way to see an immediate boost in visibility.

As such, sales may also increase. There will be some members of that athlete’s audience that simply have never heard of the franchise’s product or service but would be happy to make a purchase. Bringing awareness to these people can boost sales. 

Further, for people who were previously aware of the brand but not entirely sold on the concept, hearing an endorsement from a pro athlete can be the final push needed. People generally trust the judgment of pro athletes due to their level of success. There is a common idea that if a product or service is good enough for a celebrity, it is likely more than adequate for an everyday consumer. 

Even if an athlete is endorsing a brand within a sector that they have no real knowledge about, their presence can override any need for expertise in the eyes of the broader audience. Take Michael Phelps’ Subway endorsement, for example. Phelps is a swimmer, not a chef or master sandwich artist. But, rather than endorsing a pool cleaning franchise, he swam the length of the pool for a Subway sandwich in a commercial. Still, his demonstration of enjoyment of the Subway product reached the eyes of many Americans who were interested in him as a person, and their admiration of him was reason enough to cultivate credibility.

Athletes Create Differentiation in a Saturated Market

Recent data shows that the average person sees between 4,000 and 10,000 ads each day. With so much input, it becomes easier and easier for consumers to simply scroll by, tune out an ad on a podcast or look away from video ads. Having a pro athlete sharing an endorsement, as opposed to a more standardized advertisement, can be the unique content necessary to stop the perpetual scroll and win the audience’s attention over.

While this differentiator can make ads stand out, which is certainly a useful benefit, it also just sets the businesses apart within the market. Not every concept can secure a pro athlete endorsement, so having one inherently makes the brand a part of a unique group, and this accomplishment permeates beyond the context of active advertisements. When brands are able to build this sort of reputation and create connections with their audience through an athlete, the consumer connection to the concept is typically stronger and enjoys more longevity.