One of the 21st century’s greatest marketing stories, Brand Beckham, reached a crossroads this month with the announcement by David Beckham that he was to retire from professional football. Beckham's absence in the Paris Saint Germain squad at the weekend was confirmation that the football star's playing career is now at an end. The Drum spoke to Jamie Matthews, CEO and founding partner of marketing agency INITIALS, which has been involved of late with Brand Beckham through supermarket client Sainsbury’s, for his views on the impact Beckham’s retirement will have on his marketing prospects.
How is David’s retirement going to impact ‘Brand Beckham’?
Not a lot I don’t think. I’ve been thinking about this. He retired from the English game when he left for Real Madrid and a lot of the comments, bar the English performances, talk about all the great stuff he did when he was in England, playing for Man United. We haven’t had that much football exposure to him since he left to play for Spain and then LA Galaxy.
In the UK’s eyes our exposure's been around Brand Beckham, so in effect he’s already managed that transition. That’s where his home is and that’s where his roots are and where he’s going to get the most traction initially anyway.
I can’t see it affecting his brand in the short term because he’s already managed the transition really well, particularly in light of the role he played in 2012.
I do think that the main things that will affect Brand Beckham will be if he decides to go into coaching and management. I just go “Oh God!” - I think he’s too nice to do that, he hasn’t got the streak in him to be a brilliant manager. And that among anything is going to affect his brand – if he decides to move into management.
Given what he has achieved in football and marketing terms you can’t see him in a management role for anything other than premiership. His management of the media has been manifested over many years and I can’t see him managing a set of players in the cut and throat business of premiership football.
How did he manage this transition initially?
Probably through switching his target audience. If you look at who hated him it was the England diehards and the people that have been buying into Brand Beckham are not those people. They don’t want H&M pants.
How has he been important to Sainsbury’s?
Sainsbury’s was very important given the way the Sainsbury’s brand has evolved. Jamie Oliver was taking a step back out of the Sainsbury’s brand and Beckham and Ellie (Simmonds), in terms of the Paralympics, have really helped to fill the gap that was left by Jamie Oliver. But he obviously performs a really crucial brand ambassador role for the likes of Active Kids.
What will be his role in Sainsbury’s moving forward - will he still be as involved in the sporting ambassador role?
I can’t comment on whether Sainsbury’s will continue to work with him in a sporting role, but a lot of his contracts are ongoing. And obviously all of these contracts will be more important going forward as he does move into whatever role it is that he begins to play. I can imagine him taking time out and thinking “What is the next move?”
You mentioned Beckham as a fashion brand as well as a sporting one, do you think he’ll move towards the fashion stuff now that he will be seen as a retired footballer?
I think he’s got to get the balance right [between the fashion and the sport] because he has got the balance right up until now in terms of what’s important to him, but if he goes too far toward the fashion he will lose all credibility as to what he stood for.
Read here about David Beckham's rise to a global icon and brand ambassador worth millions and some views on how he achieved itas well as further opinions on where he goes now.