More effort needed to utilize our athletes as Brand Ambassadors

Kenya’s finest athletes are the country’s best ambassadors abroad and locally. Their successes along with tourism have made Kenya as one of the most famous nations in the world. However, there has been very little, if any, attempt to use this tremendous resource to market the country and its products.

It about time, I say. With sport a key element within the pillars of Vision 2030, government endorsement through Brand Kenya and the Kenya Tourism Board is essential for a deliberate and an integrated approach to many such leveraging opportunities.

In my experience as an athlete, such opportunities to promote Kenya as a destination were plenty. Generally, Kenyan athletes are quite friendly and social wherever they race. Given the number of visitors coming to see how our athletes live and train significantly increasing in recent times, shows that athletes have the power to influence a core segment of tourism in Kenya.

While the collective Kenyan athlete brand is strong and bankable globally, it has yet to trickle down on the individual athlete locally. The use of our celebrity athletes as endorsers in the local market has been nominal as the trend has been to utilize local musical artistes and models.

This is an untapped field for many corporate and government marketing agencies wishing to convey key messages through sport and rise above the clutter in the marketplace. Our athletes know how to win at the highest level and everyone can associate with a winner. Ironically, Kenya has lots of stars who’ve achieved hero status in other countries, but walk around the streets of our towns practically unrecognized.

With the country experiencing consumer growth and the fierce battle of the different brands for market share, the time for celebrity athlete endorsement has arrived.

Research shows that there have been a total of only 15 athletes who’ve ever endorsed any commercial products here in Kenya. Ever! Compare that to the countless world record holders, Olympic, World, Commonwealth and major marathon champions that we have produced.

Of course, not all champions have the personality or image to be associated with the different brands to be endorsed. There has to be an inherent match or congruency between the celebrity and the brand. But there are some  stars like David Rudisha that have wonderful personalities, brilliant smiles, are articulate and create attention through repeated successful performances on the track or road. They have the potential to increase sales and enhance brands by generating a lot of publicity and attention for our local companies and country.

One such athlete who has successfully endorsed products over the years is Paul Tergat. He conveys prestige, a good reputation and an image of excellence to whatever brand that he endorses.

Our athletes’ successes and popularity globally help shape perceptions of our great nation. We must then tap into this important element of our national identity to effectively promote our country and its products.