The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Golden future assured
SWITCH ON the TV or leaf through any glossy magazine and it’s impossible not to be bombarded by adverts for products endorsed by Olympic stars – Britain’s greatest ever Olympian Chris Hoy as the face of Gillette, Victoria Pendleton promoting Pantene shampoo (“I have used Pantene Pro-V products for years”), long distance swimmer Kerri-anne Payne endorsing Oral B, Max Factor False Lash Effect Gold Mascara and sporting Links of London jewellery (though not all at the same time!), Zara Phillips, Phillips Idowu and Laura Trott part of the Team Samsung Athletes and so on.
And then there’s Jessica Ennis, the face of London 2012. Since winning an Olympic gold medal in the heptathlon – a gruelling two-day event that comprises seven individual events: 100m hurdles, high jump, shot putt, 200m sprint, long jump, javelin and an 800m run — she has become the nation’s sweetheart and an inspiration for a generation of young girls, as well as being tipped for millions of pounds worth of sponsorship deals.
Already the face of Olay Essentials, the 26-year-old athlete from Sheffield is just one of dozens of Olympians whose fortune is set thanks to their success in the London Games. Yet she remains remarkably cool and modest. “I’m quite a private person so I don’t like to put my whole life out there,” she said. It remains to be seen if all the adulation and the millions she will undoubtedly earn in sponsorship deals will turn her head.
Engaged to construction site manager Andy Hill, whom she met at secondary school, she tries to live as normal a life as possible, still taking her dog out twice a day. She revealed that her role as the face of Olay Essentials was based on her own love of Olay products.
Bradley Wiggins, Tour de France winner and Olympic gold medallist, already has a flagship role with a team of riders sponsored by Sky as well as a personal sponsorship deal with Fred Perry, has sponsorship interest flooding in from the continent, headed up by healthy food and drinks brands and family lifestyle brands. PR guru Max Clifford said: “Bradley has a squeaky clean sporting image which will be very attractive to sponsors. He has the potential to earn £20 million over the next five years.”
In the run-up to the Olympics middle-distance star Hannah England was announced as the face of Garnier Ambre Solaire’s official Team GB suncare products, while Clinique teamed up with GB beach volleyball hopefuls Denise Johns and Lucy Boulton. Braun was quick to sign up Jenna Randall, captain of the British synchronised swimming team, as the face of its Silk-epil Xpressive Pro Epilator. But has sponsorship spoiled the spirit of the Olympics? Matt Welsh, former Olympic swimming medallist and world champion, said: “When I began my career, the Olympics were very much about amateur sport. Commercialism gives more rewards for athletes, lets them stay in their sport longer and gives sport extra business.
“But there can come a point of over-commercialism — it’s important for all parties to ensure that sponsorship does not bring an overbearing negative presence to the sporting spectacle. When I think about my Olympic heroes, I can’t think of a sponsor on their jersey or an ad they appeared in. You want to remember the feat, not the sponsor.”
Whatever your views on sports sponsorship, it’s certain we will be seeing a lot more of these Olympic stars over the forthcoming weeks, months and years. But are some things more precious than money? For Jessica Ennis, while her fortune is undoubtedly made, the biggest recent thrill was hearing that a newborn baby has been named after her.
Beatrice Jessica Lee’s parents were supposed to be inside the Olympic stadium to watch Jessica win her gold. Instead Mrs Lee was giving birth to her 6lb 9oz baby daughter who was just 20 minutes old when she watched Jessica finish her final 800m event, with her father making sure she was sitting with him in front of a TV at the hospital!
On hearing the news on Twitter, Jessica replied: “Congratulations! That’s so sweet!”