‘Tis The Season For Sports Marketing

A Masterclass in Holiday Marketing

YouTube / @AldiUK

What do Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, The Super Bowl, and Christmas have in common? The advertising. Audiences anticipate the most emotional, star-studded, and creative advertisements to come out during these “holidays”, and with Christmas right around the corner - we are targeted with Christmas/holiday branded content at every corner.

Most of the sports-related holiday content we see is typical - we see teams asking their players fun questions about their favourite holiday traditions, players singing Christmas carols, and my favourite - players and teams giving back to their community. The holiday spirit lights a warm fire in all our hearts, and we love to see the smiles on faces when our favourite teams give back during this season.

One element is often missing from the commercials we see from the top sports teams and leagues - the athlete. During the holiday season, it is difficult for an athlete to differentiate themselves from all the giving and joy that is spread during the holidays. Even when we consider the celebrity appearances made in some larger commercials, like Mason Mount or Jadon Sancho this year, the athlete’s clout does the heavy lifting for the brand - but does not necessarily add to the athlete’s brand.

Enter Aldi, a German grocery store chain that has locations all across Europe, and owns Trader Joe’s in the United States. Their Holiday commercials (better known as adverts across the Atlantic) have become a popular tradition for many British consumers, who anticipate the advert and the popular celebrity who may be included.

This year’s Aldi commercial hits the feels in a light-hearted way, combining holiday tradition with a twist on a popular story - and tying it up with a bow of good-spirited feels.

If you’re a soccer/football fan (specifically the EPL), you’ll know that the character Marcus Radishford is based on Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford, one of England’s best forwards - and a huge advocate for tackling youth food insecurity in his country. Although his character is only seen for about 6 seconds in the entire one-and-a-half-minute commercial, it is clear to fans that Marcus Rashford’s inclusion has something to do with his benevolence.

Marcus Rashford was outspoken during the height of the pandemic when school lunch programs were at risk of being halted due to COVID-related budget cuts. His stance and advocacy helped to save a program that supported vulnerable youth across the country - and in 2020 he was recognized by the British monarchy for his efforts.

Why is all of this important? Marcus Rashford quickly became an icon in the sporting world as someone who was an advocate for youth empowerment, someone whose brand was all about nurturing and supporting vulnerable youth and their families. In the Aldi commercial, we

To cap off the advert, it is mentioned at the end that Aldi will be donating 1.8 million meals to families during the holiday season - a perfect feel-good ending for a season where giving is at the forefront of everyone’s minds. It is a subtle detail, but ties in Rashford’s appearance in the commercial well.

This was one of the most well-executed athlete cameos in a holiday advertisement that I have seen. Limited screen time by the athlete and no direct selling was required in the commercial - Rashford was naturally the perfect fit for this collaboration. A natural fit is what we’re all about at white whale mktg, and we cannot stress how important it is for an athlete to be themselves and create their brand around this concept. Marcus Rashford’s advocacy has shone through because of how genuine it is. The magic of Aldi’s commercial is heightened by Rashford’s character associating with the meal donation gesture by Aldi.

Ultimately, Marcus Radishford should be remembered as one of the best easter eggs in a commercial and should be a highlight for athletes who are starting to develop their brands. When there is a lot of noise in the world, it is not always the loudest who is heard. Good preparation, timing, and a natural fit are what it takes for an athlete’s brand to stick out and stick around. Bravo Marcus Rashford, bravo.

Published: December 24, 2021 - Issue 19 of The Sport Marketeer