Insuring Market Position

Sports can sometimes make strange teammates, but a collaboration between P&G’s Head & Shoulders shampoo brand and Troy Polamalu, a safety for the NFL’s Pittsburgh Steelers, seems right on. P&G recently insured Polamalu’s trademark Samoan locks, which he reportedly hasn’t cut in more than eight years, for $1 million through Watkins Syndicate at Lloyd’s of London.

The deal highlights the partnership between Polamalu and P&G, which is in its second year, in its unique link between the rugged, manly world of professional football and the world of personal care, which is often viewed as existing in a more feminine sphere. The relationship capitalizes on the still-growing men’s market by speaking directly to a target audience with a distinctly masculine voice, noting the new insurance policy make’s Polamalu’s hair “unstoppable” and “legendary,” and that he helps maintain those qualities through the use of Head & Shoulders’ Hair Endurance for Men. The relationship even extends to a website, www.troyshair.com, where visitors can win NFL prizes. For a product that wasn’t originally created solely for the male market, the audience targeting here for the shampoo brand is deliberate, matching a product with a spokesperson who’s surprising but logical, therefore enticing new consumers without pandering to them.

What untapped markets could your brand touch with the right brand ambassador? Figuring out this kind of new market position can give your brand a vital boost in the marketplace.

For more on P&G initiatives such as this, including the partnership with , read Ed Shirley's comments made at a September 2010 CEW event.

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