Super Bowl's Mane Battle: Polamalu vs. Matthews
Posted by Dale Buss on January 25, 2011 11:00 AM
With so much at stake for brands of all sorts in Super Bowl advertising, one of the biggest branding opportunities connected with the game won’t be seen in any TV commercial during the telecast on February 6 on Fox.
That would be the chance to strike a hair-care-product deal with standout Green Bay Packers linebacker Clay Matthews.
His counterpart on the Pittsburgh Steelers, Troy Polamalu, famously nabbed a marketing deal with Head & Shoulders shampoo that features the crinkly-haired all-pro safety in TV ads featuring Polamalu’s long locks – insured for a hair-curling $1 million.
Now, Matthews — whose long, straight, blond hair has earned him the nickname of “Fabio” — is openly begging for his own endorsement deal — one that will go straight to his head.
Matthews is seeking a shampoo, conditioner, or other hair-related endorsement. And why not? His 'do has its own Facebook fan page, and has inspired fan videos (such as the silliness below). Polamalu's mane, naturally, boasts a rival Twitter feed and Facebook fan page.
More seriously, Matthews has been baptized into the national-endorsement fraternity of football stars, taping a public-service spot (above) on behalf of sufferers of Duchenne, a form of muscular dystrophy. Matthews is the face of a campaign from Cadillac and Cure Duchenne to auction off trips to Super Bowl XLV to support the search for a cure.
That's why the pro footballer is suprised more brands haven't come calling. “I don’t have anything right now,” said Matthews. “It’s unfortunate. I’ve been throwing it out there and just getting shunned. I don’t know what it is. I need to talk to [Polamalu] and see if I can join that [Head & Shoulders] campaign. America, I’m looking for a hair deal.”
He is likely to get exactly what he’s looking for. There are a number of long-locked players on both the Packers and Steelers. But Matthews is special because, as a second-year player, he’s already been selected for Pro Bowl honors and is considered a strong candidate for the NFL’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
So both Matthews and Polamalu could have a big impact on the Super Bowl. Shampoo brands of the world will be watching.
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