Hitching a ride - Brawn F1 star Jenson Button seeks personal sponsors

LONDON - Formula One star Jenson Button aims to cash in on his stunning start to the 2009 Championship by securing a host of personal endorsement deals, Marketing can reveal.

Jenson Button
Jenson Button

The Brawn GP driver, 28, has shot to the top of the FIA Formula One Drivers Championships and on Sunday picked up his third win of the season, the fourth of his career.

Just months after facing an uncertain future in the sport Button is challenging fellow Brit and reigning World Champion Lewis Hamilton as the sport's most marketable figure.

Button, who owns his own image rights, has tasked his manger Richard Goddard of Jenson Button Driver Management Services, with heading up the search for potential brand partners.

Goddard says: 'We've got quite a bit of quality brands interested. We don't want to do tiny little things that don't fit a long term plan'. However, he said that a tactical campaign around this year's British Grand Prix could be welcomed.

'We've had interest from people wanting to do work around other Grand Prix, mainly in the Middle East but not yet for the British Grand Prix', he notes.

Competition between Britain's two highest profile drivers already extends beyond the track. Last year, Button challenged Hamilton to a triathlon race. But having accepted the bet the McLaren driver was forced to pull out by his father.

The appeal of the Hamilton brand is well-documented: a rags to riches story that would eventually see him become the first black Formula One World Champion and the sport's youngest ever winner. Last year, his team, Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, broke its own rules on driver endorsement deals to allow him to sign with Reebok.

Now Button has the chance to make the most of his triumphs. While Brawn GP sponsors Virgin and Henri Lloyd have benefited from the unexpected success of the team, none have yet benefited from Button's position at the top of the Drivers Championships.

The Somerset-born racer now has a comfortable 12 point lead with the British Grand Prix less than eight weeks away.

Scott Garrett of sponsorship experts Synergy comments: 'I think Jenson would be an excellent brand ambassedor. He's good looking, speaks well and has served a long apprenticeship. I'm really thrilled for him.'

Formula One drivers are among the highest paid sportsmen. But if you're looking to pick up heavyweight brand endorsements then working on your golf handicap is as good a place to start as any.

Tiger Woods is the world's highest earning sportsman, according to Forbes and has deals with Nike, Accenture, Buick and Gillette among others. Wood's Ryder Cup team-mate Phil Mickleson is fourth on the list trailing only David Beckham and, perhaps surprisingly, retired basketball legend Michael Jordan.

Before Jenson rushes in to capitalise on his hard-earned success, however, he should take a quick glance at some ill-advised endorsement deals over the years.

Some of the more dubious endorsements over the years include Muhammad Ali promoting insect repellent, David Beckham flogging fish fingers and Brazilian two times FIFA World Footballer of the Year Ronaldinho endorsing a photocopier.

Read Ed Kemp on Sports Marketing

 

 

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