Andreescu embodies ‘Canada’s brand’
U.S. Open champ must take advantage of success
Everybody wants a piece of Bianca Andreescu’s success. At a few months past 19, the Canadian tennis wunderkind has won more than US$6 million in prize money, not to mention a series of sponsorships, and stands to gain much more now that she has snatched the U.S. Open title from seasoned favourite Serena Williams.
Her extraordinary tennis ability — a mix of muscle and agility in a sport where many players have one or the other — is matched by her lovably-brassy-yet-humble personality and inspirational, quintessentially Canadian life story as the child of immigrants who worked her way up through grit and hard work.
Young athletes who experience relatively sudden success and fame risk getting quickly overwhelmed with sponsorship offers and media requests, and can feel pulled in a million directions, says marketing consultant Tony Chapman. But with a bit of thoughtful planning, Andreescu can cultivate a lucrative personal brand and avoid the missteps of athletes who have walked her path before.
Canadian pro Eugenie Bouchard, 25, was about Andreescu’s age during her rise to tennis superstardom and her only Women’s Tennis Association title five years ago. Her fall through the WTA rankings from her 2014 peak of fifth to 152nd today was accompanied by a faltering public persona. She cycled through a series of sports agents and lost heavyweight sponsors such as Nike and Colgate in favour of deals with a little-known brand of chewable caffeine tablets and an e-book about cryptocurrency.
Andreescu needs a team around her that will show “no mercy” in filtering out requests on her time and suggested sponsorships that don’t align with her brand, Chapman said. He’d like to see her take advantage of this narrow moment and appear on a big show with mass appeal and tell people a bit more about her daily life, her quirky side and her likes and dislikes — something along the lines of an Ellen or an Oprah.
She has a timely opportunity to ride the wave of goodwill around her to strengthen her association with what Chapman calls “Brand Canada.”
“She has to be authentic to who she is. The first thing I look at is what’s your story.”
SHE HAS TO BE AUTHENTIC TO WHO SHE IS. THE FIRST THING I LOOK AT IS WHAT’S YOUR STORY.
“And this is a great story … the immigrant parents sacrificing everything for someone who has decided that this is what she wanted, has worked to deliver it with a work ethic that is beyond any almost everybody’s imagination,” he said.
He said he could picture Andreescu in an ad for an iconic Canadian brand with a global presence, like RBC.
“That ad could be run all over the world. Because as Canadians we’re trying to attract the best talent, the best foreign capital. She could be a great ambassador for brand Canada,” in a moment where Canada stands out as a bastion of liberal values and tolerance in a world of rising populism and anti-immigrant sentiment, Chapman said.
Much has been made of Andreescu’s rivalry with, and admiration of, Serena Williams, and Chapman suggested they collaborate on endorsements off the court.
“Just get the top electrical company in the States … and call the ad passing the torch. It would be so beautiful. Just bring up the logo at the end. There’s a win for everybody,” he said.
An impressively prescient Montreal-based vegan restaurant chain, Copper Branch, struck a deal with Andreescu in the spring for a reported $50,000. But unless she has a specific connection to a brand, Chapman said she should stay away from any more random one-off endorsements that don’t fit into her story — not least because she comes off a bit stiff and unnatural while trying to shill products. So, no shampoo ads with hair-tossing. No chomping on chicken fingers on camera.
Instead, she should go for sponsors that take advantage of her youth and make sense for where she is in her life: She’s great on social media; so she could partner with a phone company. She certainly doesn’t have time to cook, but does need to eat healthy meals, so a meal-kit service like Hello Fresh might be a natural fit.
Ben Makarenko, the director of marketing and digital innovation at Tennis Canada, is excited about the potential for Andreescu’s success to increase interest in the sport, especially among girls.
Makarenko explained that through experience with the rise of greats like Milos Raonic and Bouchard, Tennis Canada has learned that it’s best to direct energy toward success on the court, which does more for the sport than “any marketing dollars we could spend.”
Seemingly aware that tennis phenoms always feel like they come out of nowhere, the organization is also working “telling these player’s stories earlier — before they break out — so there is a base of knowledge within the tennis community,” he said.
Chapman agreed. To build enduring appeal — aside from, of course, continuing to win at tennis — Andreescu’s team should be “celebrating the quest as much as the trophy. That’s what I would be focusing on.”