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With the Super Bowl only days away, it got me to thinking about favorite sports endorsers…

Using athletes as endorsers is routine in advertising where marketers pay billions of dollars each year to thousands of athletes to promote products. Many endorse companies in the local market where they play. However, some have achieved fame that transcends their sport and makes them popular as endorsers for a variety of products and services.

As the Colts and Saints prepare for the big game, there’s little doubt that the most sought after for endorsement deals are the quarterbacks of NFL teams.

One of the first to become popular was Joe Namath. He made headlines when he guaranteed a Jets victory against the Colts in the ’69 title game. His ability to back up his boast added to his reputation and flamboyant image as “Broadway Joe.” That chutzpah also made him a winner on Madison Ave. as he appeared in numerous commercials including a sexy spot for Noxzema with Farrah Fawcett, wore a pair of panty hose in another, and was paid to shave his mustache for Remington.

While Namath remained popular as an endorser even after his playing days, few other quarterbacks have had the same success over the past 30 years. Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw guided their teams to multiple titles but both were only moderately successful as endorsers. However, recently two NFL passers, the Colts’ Peyton Manning and Patriots’ Tom Brady, have become incredibly popular as endorsers although their images are quite different as is the way they are used by advertisers.

Manning is the most marketable NFL player. He pitches for powerful brands including Sprint, DirecTV, Sony, Gatorade, and MasterCard. Only a handful of athletes earn more than the $11 million he makes each year from endorsements. What’s compelling is that he’s an “everyman” with whom people can easily identify. In one spot for MasterCard, Manning begs a grocery store clerk to autograph a melon and, in another for Sony, he plops down with a family to watch a game.

Brady’s popularity comes from a more understated image. While Manning is the “populist” image, Brady is “Hollywood” with a quiet confidence. He is Stetson Man and endorses high-end brands such as Movado and Glaceau. There’s no doubt Brady’s lifestyle contributes to his reputation. He is one of the best dressed men in the world and – shocking! -- married to a supermodel. But what’s cool is that Brady conveys excellence and success without being audacious.

Both guys appear to be genuine in an era when, as we’re painfully aware, other sports endorsers aren’t so much.

Experts note that Manning’s popularity stems in part from his being a star on a championship team. However, they should also credit him for using his “aw-shucks” image and good-natured humor. Ad Age’s Bob Garfield wrote that Manning “is the greatest sports endorser ever. Although Michael Jordan is the most successful, Manning’s delivery, poise, and comic timing make Michael look, comparatively, like an extra on CSI.”

It’s no surprise that both Manning and Brady hosted Saturday Night Live. (Does anyone remember Derek Jeter’s hosting gig?). Psst… for a real comic treat check out this hilarious SNL segment.

So as you’re getting ready to watch the game, think about this: NFL quarterbacks have an advantage when it comes to getting deals as they play the highest-profile position in the most popular sport in the country. However, Manning and Brady show that it helps to have something extra to offer marketers when they take off their helmets and compete in the endorsement game.

Welcome the big stage, Mr. Brees…

Here are my top 5 emerging sports endorsers:

1. Dwight Howard, Orlando Magic
2. Mark Sanchez, NY Jets
3. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints
4. Maria Sharapova, Pro Tennis Player
5. Danica Patrick, Race Car Driver

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