Stretching as far back as ex-French footballer David Ginola’s L’Oreal-bolstered locks, it seems as though there’s nothing you can’t sell to men without the recognizable face of a well-respected sportsman behind it.
Whether we think of Thierry Henry shaving his head or David Beckham fronting the latest H&M campaign, it seems we can’t turn anywhere these days without football stars hawking grooming and fashion wares.
This year retired Manchester United legend Eric Cantona was chosen as the latest international L’Oreal ambassador, some thirteen years after the fiery Frenchman ended his professional playing career. So why exactly do we men tend to gravitate and place our branding trust in sportspeople – even retired sportspeople – over Hollywood stars or male models?
To Vianney Derville, International General Manager of L’Oreal Paris, choosing a sporting legend, even a retired one such as Cantona, is a no brainer. “Cantona is a footballing icon, a socially committed person and a naturally gifted artist,” says Derville.
Unlike the majority of female grooming/fashion products, which are often endorsed by glamorous pop stars or actresses, men tend to place different boundaries on what aspirational figures are acceptable for endorsement, placing sportsmen in highest regard.
According to Anne Gallagher, L’Oreal Paris Senior Product Manager, the intrinsic link between male sportsmen and grooming endorsement is owed to brands aiming to leverage their product expertise through endorsement of gifted sports personalities. Sportspeople are “renowned for their constant strives for excellence”, she says, which makes them truly aspirational figures for men to look up.
Commenting on the relative lack of male models for grooming endorsements (with most male models typically reserved for aftershave fragrance campaigns), Gallagher believes that a more recognizable face in an advert creates an emotional link between the personality and brand, which can be more memorable and therefore more effective than an unknown model.
Despite certain instances that buck the trend (Lost TV star Matthew Fox endorsing L’Oreal skincare for example), footballers are becoming increasingly aspirational figures for men of all ages – a fact easily attributed to player’s stratospheric salaries, ever-growing hero-worship, and of course, their glamorous partners.
In Gallagher’s eyes, football is such a hugely popular sport that ut has in recent years, developed a greater stage presence in celebrity media. This development has in turn created a platform for today’s football stars to become aspirational figures to young men today.
With that in place, is it too far-fetched to imagine Wayne Rooney telling us he’s ‘worth it’, or watching Stephen Hunt waft his ruffled locks in slow-motion through our TV screens? Don’t bet against it. As football continues to permeate every level of pop culture and everyday conversation, new societal role models will follow. And where reliable role models exist, fortune and opportunity is never too far away.
LISTEN: You Must Be Jokin’ podcast – listen to the latest episode now!
