Athletes Using Social Media for Personal Branding: 3 Case Studies

[Tim McGarry]

Personal branding is incredibly important for professional athletes.  The value of one’s brand influences marketability, popularity, and sponsorship opportunities.

 

Social media has changed the way athletes develop their personal brands.  Athletes are now directly connected to fans.  There is a transparency in the sports industry that creates unparalleled opportunity for personal brand development.

 

Below are three examples of athletes who have effectively used social media to develop and leverage their personal brands.

 

 

 

Nick Swisher

 The Wall Street Journal recently wrote a piece on the ways Nick Swisher uses social media to develop his brand (WSJ article).  Social media, the article points out, has given Swisher a platform to build and broadcast his personal brand.

"Mr. Swisher is a good player but is not on a Cooperstown track. As celebrity endorsements move beyond the superstars, the mid-level player with personality and social-media savvy can reach endorsement and name-recognition levels that were once only the domain of the best of the best, said David Carter, author of the recent book, Money Games, and head of the USC Sports Business Institute."

 

What he does well: Authenticity

Almost every article about Nick Swisher depicts him as a charismatic, likable guy.  He has a magnetic personality, and he does a great job of broadcasting this personality through social media.  His tweets and Facebook posts are always authentic to his character.

Swisher comes across as someone that is approachable and down to earth, which only adds to his brand value.  Social media allows fans to relate with Swisher off the field, which helps build his value on the field.

 

 

 

Rajon Rondo

 On the social media front, Rondo is perhaps best known for his #LooseBall promotion this past summer (article).  Rondo worked with Activ8Social to launch a contest where fans followed him on twitter, were given scavenger hunt clues, and then received prizes if they showed up at designated locations.

 

What he does well: Creativity

This unique and creative fan engagement campaign helped set Rondo apart.  The #LooseBall promotion went far beyond the typical twitter Retweet or Facebook post. 

In terms of personal brand development, this was successful because it generated media buzz (ESPN article), it demonstrated creativity, and most importantly,  it showed he cares about his fans.

 

 

 

Larry Fitzgerald

 Larry Fitzgerald has built a powerful personal brand using Twitter.  He is currently the 4^th most popular NFL player on twitter and does a great job of making himself accessible to fans.

What he does well: Engagement

Anyone following Larry Fitzgerald on Twitter knows that it is not uncommon for him to Retweet a fan, or mention someone’s birthday, or talk about his family.  He uses Twitter as not only as a way to let fans in on his daily life, but he goes a step further by regularly reaching out to his fans.

Fitzgerald has used social media to brand himself as someone that appreciates his fans, and this goes a long way in building popularity.

 

 

Closing thoughts

 

Social media brings transparency to the sports world, and it is this transparency that creates new opportunities for personal branding.  I have looked at three athletes who utilize social media to connect with fans and build their popularity off the playing field, but there are plenty of other athletes that are doing similar things.

In your opinion, what athletes are doing the best job of building personal brands with social media?

 

[Gail Sideman]

I think you have to add outfielder/first baseman, Logan Morrison (http://twitter.com/LoMoMarlins) of the Florida Marlins, to this list. He tweets often, engages lots.

[Art Smalls]

Chris Bosh

 

Chris has done an exceptional job of keeping fans informed of developments and asking for input.  Its not just about his opinion of a given topic.  He understands what engagement is all about.

[Jason Peck]

Great examples, Tim. I think you have to put guys like Shaq, Ochocinco and Lance Armstrong up there in terms of what they've done to enhance their brands and connect with fans through social media.

[Tim McGarry]

I agree, Jason.  The three athletes you mentioned were early players in the social media game and all three helped fuel the 'Sports 2.0' movement.  The fact that these athletes were so successful in establishing their brand gave other athletes incentive to join the social media movement.

[Jets Twit]

Your story made me think who is the KING in Jets land, the team I like to track on social media.  Here is that article for anyone interested:  What New York Jets Player is King of Social Media?