February 2, 2009, - 1:02 pm
The End of “Just Say No”: Sponsors Stand by Pot -Smoker Phelps
By Debbie Schlussel
It used to be that companies actually cared about the morals clauses in their endorsement deals with pro athletes and enforced them. But, sadly, we’re in a new era: the end of “Just Say No to Drugs.”
Michael Phelps’ corporate endorsers are standing by their famous illegal drug user, including companies like Speedo, which send a message of fitness and good health to consumers of their product. I guess fitness and good health now includes a little weed toking. Way to go, Speedo.
At least one marketing expert doesn’t expect Phelps’ popularity to suffer.
“I think consumers and marketers will cut him some slack because it’s ‘only’ marijuana, something that it seems like other professional athletes get arrested for every five minutes – not that that condones it,” said Bob Dorfman, executive creative director at Baker Street Partners in San Francisco and author of The Sports Marketers’ Scouting Report.
Twenty years from now they’ll be saying, “Cut him some slack because it’s ‘only’ coke or crack.”
Speedo, which has sponsored Phelps, 23, since he was 15 and paid him a $1 million bonus for his record eight gold medals at the Beijing Olympics, released a statement Sunday calling Phelps “a valued member of the Speedo team and a great champion.”
The U.S. Olympic Committee said it was “disappointed” in Phelps. “Michael is a role model,” the USOC said in a statement, “and he is well aware of the responsibilities and accountability that come with setting a positive example for others. In this instance, regrettably, he failed to fulfill those responsibilities.”
Phelps’ eight golds set him up to earn millions in endorsements. “I can’t see any marketers dropping him,” Dorfman said.
That’s sad. I’d admire a company that said, “We’re dumping Michael Phelps because we think he sends a bad message to kids.”
But, like I said, the era of “Just Say No to Drugs” is apparently over.
Capitalism without limits means companies with no morals unless we–the consumers in the marketplace–force them into morality. And we’ve been very lazy in that category. That’s why we’re at this point.
Here’s the list of Michael Phelps’ sponsors:
* Speedo
* Visa
* Omega (watches)
* Subway (Is that really oregano sprinkled on that sub?)
* Kellogg’s (I guess you eat more of this after pot-smoking, so it’s a good partnership.)
* PureSport
* 505 Games
* Mazda (in China only–I wonder if this will stick, since the Chi-Coms are far tougher on illegal drug use.)
Don’t forget he already has a DUI on his record.
If this is “ok”, why are steroids such a bad thing?
How stupid can this guy to be to put himself into that position? Body of a superhuman, mind of a child.
Jeff_W on February 2, 2009 at 1:32 pm