By STEPHANIE KANG, Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
November 11, 2005
Two years ago, explosive criminal allegations against basketball superstar Kobe Bryant derailed his career as a pitchman for a variety of products. But with Mr. Bryant's legal problems now behind him, one of the few big companies that stuck with him -- shoe giant Nike Inc. -- is preparing to capitalize on its low-key two-year effort to keep him marketable.
Mr. Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers guard who was once one of the National Basketball Associaton's most popular stars, signed a four-year, $45 million endorsement deal with Nike in June 2003. The agreement called for the company to create a line of signature sneakers and apparel for Mr. Bryant, with the star receiving royalties.
But just weeks after the deal was signed, Mr. Bryant was accused of sexual assault in Colorado. His image disappeared from ads produced for McDonald's Corp., Russell Corp.'s Spalding ball division and Nutella, part of confectioner Ferrero U.S.A. Inc. Coca-Cola Co. stopped running ads in which Mr. Bryant pitched the company's Sprite soda, later signing Cleveland Cavalier and fellow Nike endorser LeBron James to star in spots for its "Obey Your Thirst" campaign.
Now, two years later, the criminal case against Mr. Bryant has been dismissed and a related civil lawsuit has been settled. With a new NBA season in gear, Nike and Mr. Bryant are slowly relaunching the star's career as a product endorser.
more...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113167620949994439.html?mod=mm_hs_advertising
November 11, 2005
Two years ago, explosive criminal allegations against basketball superstar Kobe Bryant derailed his career as a pitchman for a variety of products. But with Mr. Bryant's legal problems now behind him, one of the few big companies that stuck with him -- shoe giant Nike Inc. -- is preparing to capitalize on its low-key two-year effort to keep him marketable.
Mr. Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers guard who was once one of the National Basketball Associaton's most popular stars, signed a four-year, $45 million endorsement deal with Nike in June 2003. The agreement called for the company to create a line of signature sneakers and apparel for Mr. Bryant, with the star receiving royalties.
But just weeks after the deal was signed, Mr. Bryant was accused of sexual assault in Colorado. His image disappeared from ads produced for McDonald's Corp., Russell Corp.'s Spalding ball division and Nutella, part of confectioner Ferrero U.S.A. Inc. Coca-Cola Co. stopped running ads in which Mr. Bryant pitched the company's Sprite soda, later signing Cleveland Cavalier and fellow Nike endorser LeBron James to star in spots for its "Obey Your Thirst" campaign.
Now, two years later, the criminal case against Mr. Bryant has been dismissed and a related civil lawsuit has been settled. With a new NBA season in gear, Nike and Mr. Bryant are slowly relaunching the star's career as a product endorser.
more...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB113167620949994439.html?mod=mm_hs_advertising