Brand building is a process. Just ask LeBron James.
You can bet LeBron’s marketing team has been working long hours this week, after his multi-million dollar brand suffered an unexpected setback Sunday when the Miami Heat was upset by the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals.
James’ brand has transcended professional basketball since he broke into the NBA as a 19-year-old and became an instant star. He’s been marketed as the “next Michael Jordan” and has been signed to sponsorship deals with mega-companies like Nike, McDonald’s and State Farm. He played for the Cleveland Cavaliers in his first seven NBA seasons, before leaving last summer to sign with Miami where he united with fellow superstars Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to give the team a stunning trio of superstars.
A rapid fall to the bottom
His brand hasn’t been the same since.
His TV special to announce his decision to join Miami was widely criticized, and LeBron and his teammates quickly became the villains of the NBA — the best team that money could buy.
The Mavericks shocked the basketball world by beating the Heat. On the court, James performed miserably in the final minutes of most of the games. Certainly not what was expected of the reputed “greatest player ever.”
Making matters worse
However, the damage to the brand was even more severe in the post-game press conference when James lost his composure and belittled fans. When asked if it bothered him that so many people were happy to see him fail, he said, “Absolutely not, because at the end of the day, all the people that was rooting on me to fail “» they have to wake up tomorrow and have the same life that they had before they woke up today. They have the same personal problems they had today.”
So all fans have personal problems? Say what?
So it is time to evolve the LeBron James brand, and quickly.
Needed: A new image
This kind of process happens constantly at all levels of business. Remember when SUVs were in high demand? Soaring gas prices, economic turmoil and changes in consumer tastes have combined to dampen demand for SUVs, so marketing experts have descended on the auto industry to re-position the cars in the new environment.
In today’s hyper-connected world, James’ silly post-game comments have the potential to hurt his brand more than his basketball performance. For the next few weeks, LeBron’s marketing agency will be closely monitoring all media channels to determine the extent of the damage. They’ll listen to late-night comedy lines, watch YouTube, read NBA blogs and likely conduct focus groups to measure the impact of the loss and his ill-advised knock on fans.
First steps in rebuilding
LeBron’s first attempt to contain the damage was to issue a prepared statement on Tuesday that “clarified” the post-game remarks, but there will be plenty more to come. Don’t be surprised to see the following efforts:
It will be fascinating to see how LeBron is positioned in the wake of another postseason failure. Building and evolving brands, from major sports figures to small businesses, requires daily vigilance. It is the key to survival.
Josh Sommers is president and CEO of Focus Media, a leading Hudson Valley advertising and public relations agency. He can be reached at josh@advertisingandpr.com or 294-3342, ext. 303. Read his blog at www.advertisingandpr.com. His column appears Fridays.
