New Marketing Trend for Athletes? Applications

With the entertainment world consistently changing, today’s athletes have become more business orientated than ever. Due to the great success of the “Social Network Media” channels, athletes are finding new ways to market themselves through a variety of ways. The newest and perhaps, most creative strategy to date is marketing through their own application or “App”.

According to the article by Adam Satariano and Douglas MacMillian, world star athlete was among the first international stars to apply this strategy. With the help of “RockLive”, Bolt transformed his Olympic winning into an actual video game App. His application immediately drew attention and nearly 3 million downloads were accumulated. This strategy attracted more superstars to try their input on developing their own applications as well.

Stars from all different sports are beginning to find ways at using applications to their benefit. Bolt used the “App” to broaden his marketing brand to other sponsors. Puma, Gatorade and Swiss Watches are the three most “Prestige” endorsement deals within his brand. Bolt has started and new trend that others have already begun to follow. Some popular names being, Mike Tyson, Joe Montana, Tony Gonzales, Tiger Woods and a host of others.

This new trend is an affective way for athletes to extend their brand. They can market themselves in variety of different ways. Gearing an “App” into their actual preference of style, allows the athlete control over their product. Tony Gonzales has an “App” geared towards his workout regiment titled “FitStar”. With this capability, athlete’s now posses the option of different tools that would bolster their brand to newer sponsors whom may have not been initially interested in the athlete.

According to another article by Gianni D’Ovidio, Joe Montana has spent one hundred thousand dollars to invest in a fantasy football application. The “App” community is projected to gross nearly eighty five billion dollars this year. With a strong community backing this new trend and “Stars” aligning to “Cash-In” on a great marketing tool, this new trend may become regularity for all athletes.