Will retirement dent brand Roger Federer?

A legacy built during an athlete's glory days won't go down after retirement, say experts

e4m by Medha Jha
Published: Sep 20, 2022 11:35 AM  | 5 min read
Roger Federer
  • e4m Twitter

After winning a number of world records and leaving a strong impact all over the world, 20 times Grand Slam champion, Roger Federer has become a brand in himself. According to Forbes 2022, he is the highest-paid tennis player in the world for the 17th straight year, despite not playing any match for 14 months. His net worth is said to be upwards of US $550 million over two decades.

With the announcement of his retirement, fans all over the world are heartbroken. It will take time for the fans to digest the fact that Federer will be playing his last tournament as a professional tennis player at the upcoming Laver Cup. It is yet to be seen how his brand image will be affected after his retirement. It is often seen that celebrities or star sportsperson lose their importance when they are not active in their professional field.

Achievements so far

Federer has won the “Laureus World Sportsman of the year” award a record 4 times consecutively. In 2018, he became the first player to win 20 Grand Slam men’s singles titles. Roger Federer holds the world record for firing 50 aces in the final match at Wimbledon in 2009. He has won titles in many as 19 different countries worldwide. Apart from his magical skills, he has always won hearts with his philanthropic activities. He started The Roger Federer Foundation which is a charitable foundation. It supports the development of individual skills,, searches for innovative solutions and acts in a targeted way in order to improve children’s situation over the long term. In partnership with EAC the Roger Federer Foundation is working to improve the quality of education in Limpopo, South Africa in order to prevent dropouts and increase enrolment of out-of-school children.

Roger Federer is spoken about as the greatest sportsman of all time. “The most important aspect of Roger Federer is the love fans across the world have for him- as a gentleman player, loving family man and a socially responsible man of today,” says Vinod Kunj, Founder & Chief Creative Officer of Thoughtblurb Communication. According to him brand Roger Federer is the perfect example of a ‘lovemark’ brand.

Brand Endorsements and Advertisements

Roger Federer has clinched a list of brand endorsements over the decade. He has been endorsing 14 brands. Most of them have been sponsoring Federer for more than a decade. Rolex, Mercedes-Benz, Credit Suisse, Lindt and Wilson are some of the oldest endorsers he has been working with. The other brands he is working with include Rimova, Japanese apparel brand Uniqlo, Gillette, Barilla, NetJets and Moet & Chandon. Federer quit Nike in 2018 and signed a deal of 10 years for US$300 million a year.
He has also been featured in the new Switzerland Tourism campaign film along with Anne Hathway to endorse the Grand Tour of Switzerland. At the peak of his career, Federer earned up to US$94 million from the endorsements.

Viren Razdan From Brand-nomics says that FedEx will still deliver his charm even after his retirement. Razdan adds, “Roger Federer has created a legacy of greatness, his magic will live on for a long time to come. He has created a stable, wholesome athletic image without any rough edges. His legacy in the game and in life will hold him in good stead with brands combined with his mischievous tinkle which adds to his charisma. His excellence in the game moves from being on the court to a philosophical life Mantra. Brands would use and should use this transition.”

Federer has been very selective about the kind of brands to endorse and has associated with companies that share the same value system. This has helped to build the brand which is robust & more consistent than one thought. Himanshu Arora, co-founder of Social Panga thinks that people may have conflicting views about Federer's tennis achievements with Djokovic and Nadal, but we all agree that he has built a brand with a loyal fan base & that is going to grow over the coming years regardless of his retirement. In the Indian context, sportspersons like Sachin & Dhoni remain stable even after retirement. “A legacy built during the playing days doesn’t just go down post-retirement. Brands like to associate with legends & establish connections through the evergreen persona of these individuals.”

Kunj also praises him saying that Federer is a disarmingly charming person. He is a giant when it comes to achievements but grounded when it comes to his relationship with people. He says, “Michael Jordan retired before Google was known to the world. Yet he is immensely popular, even among Gen Z, as a modern-day legend. Beckham retired almost 10 years ago but we still have kids ‘bending it like Beckham’. Like them or even more so, Roger Federer will continue to shine for a long time to come. The sportsman Roger Federer may have retired but Brand Roger Federer will be on the rise.”

Brands seem to be really concerned about the retirement of Federer and they are paying tributes to him in their own unique style. Mercedes-Benz tweets “Even the greatest career ends, but the legacy remains forever.

Rolex tweets, “We wish to pay tribute to @rogerfederer for his outstandingly successful tennis career, during which he has inspired generations of players, and commend him for the immeasurable impact he has had on the wider world of sport. #RolexFamily #Perpetual

Amul paid tribute in its own unique way, tweeted “Topical: The great Roger Federer calls it a day!

Published On: Sep 20, 2022 11:35 AM 
Tags Himanshu arora Roger federer Vinod kunj Social Panga

Featured

Latest