Brett Favre is comfortable in Wrangler...for now.
Brett Favre is the everyman athlete, who at the age of forty-one, seems to have accomplished all he can in the game of football. His off-field conduct is very average joe, but with the recent sexual harassment allegations and photographic evidence involving former Jets' sideline girl, Jenn Sterger, Favre is risking more than developing a bad reputation. Members of the media are comparing the alleged dirty text messages and voicemails to Tiger Woods' and his many mistresses and extramarital sexual conduct. Brett's alleged actions involve a colleague who felt uncomfortable with his advances, so the situation qualifies as sexual harassment, and not a consensual act. Is this Favre's only transgression as a professional athlete and will his legacy now be a dirty old man and not a gritty, iron man quarterback? Favre's image is of a simple, family man with a decent sense of humour in his endorsement deals (Wrangler, Mastercard, Sears, Prilosec) but will the public's perception of Favre change for the worst? Should he continue to shill brands in his Southern drawl despite allegations?
During Monday Night Football on October 11th, Favre reached another milestone in his career: touchdown number five hundred. The broadcast team tried to focus on his on-field performance and not make any ill-conceived purple helmet remarks. However, stateside it was hard for viewers to concentrate on Brett Favre's game as his television spots for Wrangler jeans were airing during almost every commercial break. Many thought it was a joke rather than bad timing. The one question all over Twtiter was whether Brett Favre will continue to stay comfortable in Wrangler indefinitely. Wranger presents itself as a company that's simple, hardworking and family friendly. A cheating quarterback leaving scandalous voicemails and sending comprising naked photos to a younger woman while his wife recovers from cancer is not the best example of a role model. But how many Wrangler customers find Favre's behaviour an issue? Does his target market care or can they relate? The coverage of Favre's photos is so overblown but even in a sports newsroom where I work, most of my co-workers didn't go looking for the pictures or wear Wrangler jeans. Also, since the photos could be of someone else, Favre is innocent until proven guilty.
- Brett Favre sporting his #4 in Packers' green and yellow.
The biggest determining factor in whether or not Favre stays in his Wrangler's is how he chooses to respond to the allegations and media enquiries. As of now, Wrangler representatives are staying on sidelines but issued the following statement to Women's Wear Daily, "We are following the story like everyone else. We are not making any major decisions on our marketing program until more information is available.” Wrangler is playing it smart. They don't want to risk ruining the image of their brand with the new spokesmodel and marketing campaign. Favre continues as the face of the brand, because he is a well-known face and all-American brand. He still wears his original Packers' colourway faded t-shirt in many of the advertisements as an example of how long he's been a Wrangler man.
- Once a jeans' man...always a jeans' man.
After the Monday Night Football game, Favre addressed the media, but made it clear he only wanted to discuss football. The best remedy for Favre is to apologize, move on and hopefully settle with both affected parties: his wife, Deana and Jenn Sterger. Whether or not he did it, he needs to make sure that he does not let it define his legacy by confronting it quickly, preferably quietly, and moving on. If Favre continues to ignore the situation, like Tiger did for so long, it will only add fuel to the fire and he has yet to confirm nor deny the allegations. Tiger's sponsors did not know what to believe, so the uncertainty of Tiger and his play in the PGA, outweighed the product placement. Tiger was insincere and overly guarded in his press conference and while I dread another press conference from Favre; a teary, short and apologetic press conference in his Southern drawl could win fans and sponsors back. Favre needs to highlight his best attributes as an athlete and a man by being heartfelt, passionate, simply spoken and of course, emotional. He is the everyman gifted athlete, and in the modern-day many people can relate to an "aww shucks" moment with a mobile phone. If Deana Favre stands by her man, that will only help the Brett brand.
- A moment in Favre infamy: the first retirement press conference.
I don't expect Wrangler will officially announce a decision until after Favre addresses the situation and NFL commissioner Roger Goddell weigh in. The safest thing for Wrangler to do would be to decrease their television budget starting now, then re-air or even re-shoot new commercials once the sexual harassment situation and the Deadspin daily posts die down. After all, no rumor lasts forever. One silver lining is that Crocs, the now infamous footwear that Favre sports in the mobile phone photos, recently reached profits of a billion dollars. Perhaps he can drum up a new endorsement deal with the company or even a mobile phone company if Wrangler abandons Favre. However, as long as the public believes that Grandpa Brett has learnt his lesson, his endorsement deals will continue to be a success.
Chris Bosh's Complex (Magazine) Style
Chris Bosh is quickly becoming a publicity machine. Even before Bosh took his own talents to South Beach to form the new trio consisting of Dwyane Wade and LeBron James for the Miami Heat, he was everywhere. There were appearances on Entourage and late night talk shows, sitting court side at the NBA Finals and most recently, he's been flexing his style muscle at New York's Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week before training camp began. He's completely revamped his personal style, reflecting his new imagine in the press. Gone are the dreads, crazy baby momma and ill-fitting garments in his wardrobe. Now, Bosh is all about clean lines both in his hair and in his clothing as well as his petite new fiancé, Adrienne Williams. It's as if when he was in Toronto, Bosh was a boy and now Miami (perhaps thanks to his teammates' influence) has made him into a man.
- Chris Bosh and fiancé Adrienne Williams on HBO's Entourage. Photo credit: Dime Mag/HBO.
Bosh is back on the fashion tip again, this time for Complex Magazine. He played model and muse for a shoot with photographer Dania Graibe in Miami. Bosh has two outfits, one that's all casual basketball gear in Heat red, black and white and the other is a more fashionable look ensemble better suited to off-day fun than on court play. No word when the shoot comes out, as Complex posts all their content online along with a monthly print edition of the magazine. Likely, the full shoot will début in the November issue once the season is underway. What do you think Bosh's look? Should he keep up his new look and play model more often? Check out the video below and let me know what you think.
Mariano Rivera Suits Back Up For Canali
Baseball, like fashion, is most important in the spring and fall. Spring marks the start of a new calendar year while fall brings a whole new set of layers, fabrics, trends and textures. It may not seem like the most natural fit, but there's a strong movement towards using athletes for more than just athletic endorsement deals but as models for fashion's biggest brands.
The Yankees lead the way as the baseball team with most ties to the fashion industry. Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez have graced the pages of GQ magazine as models, while DKNY signed a multifaceted deal with the squad this season. The latest man in pinstripes to enter the fashion game is Mariano Rivera. Arguably one of the greatest closers to ever play the game, Rivera modelled for Italian menswear brand Canali for their spring/summer 2010 print advertising campaign.
According to Women's Wear Daily, Rivera pose for Canali for the fall/winter 2010 advertisements as well. The photographs feature Rivera wearing, of course, trademark Yankee colours, including a navy pinstripe two-button suit, a double-breasted cashmere coat and a gray cashmere-blend jacket. The ensembles are classic, refined and rich - much like the franchise that Rivera has often carried on his forty-year old back. Rivera is the first professional athlete Canali has cast for an advertising campaign. When Canali announced Rivera has a new face of the company in March 2010, they preached a mantra of contemporary elegance on their website and the reasoning behind signing athlete, "he decision to choose a sports star as testimonial for the Spring Summer 2010 campaign accentuates the close ties between Canali and the star system, both in Hollywood and elsewhere, where elegance and excellence, style and performance are shared values.” Apparently the previous campaign was so well received that both parties eagerly agreed to work together for another season.
No word yet how long the deal will continue for, but I'm sure Canali will stay interested as long as Rivera keeps the Yankees in the headlines. The advertisements will run in national as well as regional magazines and newspapers. I have to wonder though, what does Mo wear pre-game, as DKNY is the official outfitter of the Yankees but he poses for Canali. Can one man wear both an American and Italian fashion brand without setting of a style war? It's hard to know, but it's safe to say that Mariano's set up with pinstripes for life, both on and off the field.
Sean John and the NFL Draft: Tailored for Performance
The draft for professional sports leagues are hype machines. College-age kids parade in front of media and NFL staff like prized dogs; it's the most public job interview on the planet. While all leagues have something offer fans and athletes, the pure pageantry of the NFL Draft cannot be beat.
The event takes place in Radio City Music Hall, the grandest of stages, in the biggest American city "where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do" - New York City. These draftees are the nation's focus, some at the peak of their careers: it's their Hollywood moment - there's even a red carpet. These young men will sign contracts that most of us couldn't even fathom, from the dollar signs to the endorsements to the restrictions and ownerships on their lives. It's fitting that companies and stylists are clamouring to dress these future stars before they're whisked from collegiate stars to NFL starters, as the old cliché goes, it truly is the first day of the rest of their lives.
In the past, draftees have sometimes come correct, showing their flair or perhaps a swift mother's hand. Other looked like they're wearing old ill-fitting church suits and some were just trying a little too hard to impress. As much I want to see these young men shine, bad draft day outfits are what keep blogs going. But dressing properly for the occasion is something that all new employees of the NFL should learn as it can help them in their public and private reputation for years down the line. If the NFL added a style boot camp to the combine, I would be in sports heaven.
One brand decided to try to do their own version of a style boot camp coupled with a strong branding initiative - Sean John. It was announced in Women's Wear Daily, that the man they call Diddy's fashion brand would be dressing a number of top NFL prospects for the draft. Sean Combs' defined his company's work with the draftees as a "pre-draft tailoring experience" where they would be given a fine suit and the use of an in-house tailor and stylist at Sean John's 5th Avenue flagship store. Conversion Sports and Entertainment ran the event which also included a chauffeured Rolls Royce Phantom and a bevy of other goodies. From my last count, the Sean John roster included seven players, all first round draft picks. Diddy didn't get to go number one, but he did get arguably the best player in the draft in Nebraska's Ndamukong Suh who went second overall to the Detroit Lions. Other players included Eric Berry (#5), Russell Okung (#6), Joe Haden (#7), CJ Spiller (#9), Derrick Morgan (#16), Demaryius Thomas (#22) and Dan Williams (#26).
This initiative is a great look for Sean John for a number of reasons. They're reaching out to one of the most powerful and flush demographics in the United Sates - professional athletes. These players will be soon cashing in on their talent (and not their universities) and building brand loyalty could really pay off in the long run. Also, this is one of the first occasions for these college players to receive a gift in a public, grand scale without having to worry about jeopardizing their amateur status. Once they declare for the draft, everything is fair game. Sean John swooped in by telling the players that they were rewarding their fine play with a fine suit and showing them a slice of the good life. It's like equating NFL talent with what I'm sure Sean John hopes is NFL style. The other athletes, who perhaps turned down Sean John's invite, see their fellow draftees chauffeured in luxury and catered to by a media mogul may think twice about going to Sean John in the future. Look at all the Louis Vuitton and Beats by Dre in dressing rooms - could the Sean John suit be the new coveted item? Maybe not, but the attired athletes in their brand will exist in the archives for ages.
Down the line, Sean John could also tap into these young men for advertising as using athletes as the model and muse seems to becoming the norm in men's fashion. Cristiano Ronaldo stripped down for Emporio Armani, Tiger Woods was a Tag Heuer man - could Suh be the face of Sean John big and tall? It's not a far-fetched idea. Sean John is doing what their CEO does so well - network to improve his net worth. Diddy would never have come this far without friends and powerful connections - from the Notorious B.I.G. to Anna Wintour, the man makes his Rolodex spin with his connections and hard work. It's only fitting that he models his clothing line with the same work ethic. Sean John also used their blog and Twitter to feature vignettes and behind the scenes photos on the athletes on their Sean John experience. In the age of social media where so many players are taking to Twitter and becoming more accessible than ever, it's fitting to have Sean John let the fans into equation, without even giving them an invite.
Some friends who are more sports fans than fashion mavens asked why would these athletes who will soon be making first round money be wearing a brand that is more known downtown than uptown - isn't Sean John a lesser quality product? Although I agree that some of Sean John's suits are not as fashion forward as brands like Z Zegna, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, J. Lindberg, or Dior Homme, but are more standard American sportswear. Players that bring size and strength on their frame are not easy to fit into skinny cut suits from a high fashion house even with a tailor's help. Also, like most major fashion brands, Sean John licenses their product to a manufacturer that specializes in suit construction. Peerless Clothing has a factory in Montreal that cranks out 25,000 suits a week for brands like Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, DKNY, Chaps, Ralph Lauren, and of course, Sean John - all New York base brands. When you buy their suits, you're really paying for the name and styling and not their manufacturing and customization.
Finally, as a stylist, it's a bit disappointing to see a big company taking over the styling for so many young players who could be potential clients. However, I applaud their use of a tailor on site and suit customization. Buying off the rack will rarely work any man - not just professional athletes. It's worth the time and effort to have a suit to tailored so it fits to perfection than just spending all your money on just a name. Fit is the most important thing to keep in mind while shopping and is accessible at every price and size. Sean John may not offer such luxury to all shoppers, but a personal shopper and a tailor can turn their suit into your suit with a few tips and a little work. And while fashion disasters on draft day are memorable, it's nice to see these young men looking ready for their next big step - the contract and then finally, the playing field. Good luck, young fellas.