We here at JamDeal often obsess about sales and how we can increase sales between buyers and sellers on the site. So much so that we are often encouraged by our friends to get celebrity items on the site. If we had a dollar for every time we heard "you guys should try and get Usain Bolt's shoes from the Olympics".
So in light of the forthcoming
London 2012 Olympics we decided to ask... Can Usain Bolt increase sales for London 2012? Exactly how powerful is Mr. Bolt as a marketing force? And should JamDeal try and get Bolt memorabilia?
Q: Can Usain Bolt increase sales for London 2012?
A: For this one we think the answer is definitely yes. After all, Usain is the most popular sprinter on the planet, he is the face of athletics globally, and he can make or break these Olympics.
If he continues to be the statesman he has always been, then London 2012 officials can showcase him leading up the Olympics and definitely ramp up those tickets sales as fans from across the world flock to experience the once in a lifetime spectacle that might occur in one of the most storied cities.
Already we have heard rumors of ridiculous sums of money being offered to residents within the Olympic village perimeters by wealthy individuals from all across the world. Not the least of which being the Arab sheiks from wealthy oil nations. If any of them are interested in seeing Usain Bolt then he has just upped the sales right there. The of course there is the regular advertising and sponsorship impact that is automatically involved in events like this.
Q: Exactly how powerful is Mr. Bolt as a marketing force?
A: For the purposes of the London 2012 Olympics, Usain Bolt is a very powerful marketing force who can have a huge impact on sales. Yet when we look at Usain's endorsement deals they seem to pale in comparison to other sports stars such as Tiger Woods, David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. Why is that?
The answer is simple...equipment sales! The simple truth is that track & field is not a recreational sport. People may jog in the morning and buy running shoes, but outside of that they do not have much use for the kind of gear Usain Bolt specializes in. For example, when Tiger Woods plays a tournament you can immediately expect hoards of golfers to go out and buy new clubs or new golf shoes. Or when Cristiano Ronaldo scores in a major final, you can expect many a youth player to start obsessing over those new boots they want to buy. When Bolt wins a 100m sprint, there are no hoards of kids who now go out and buy new running spikes.
Similarly, when a sports wear company like Adidas sponsors a team and a particular player, they know that they will be making much more off that player just on jersey sales alone. Everyone across the world will be lining up in sports stores to buy that #7 Beckham jersey. When Bolt wins a 200m in record time, now one is going out to buy a Puma tank top with Bolts Olympic number pinned on. Get the point?
So while Bolt is huge for the sport, unfortunately the sport itself is not as lucrative to a sportswear company as some of the other sports in the world. There is nothing that Usain can do about that, but it is important to remember when trying to gauge just how powerful a marketing force he is. That said, however you look at it, we believe Bolt is huge for marketers.
Q: Should JamDeal try and get Bolt memorabilia?
A: This is where things get interesting. If we at JamDeal were able to get some of Bolt's memorabilia on here, would you be interested in bidding? Would you want to secure an authentic bolt jersey from the London 2012 Olympics for yourself? Let us know with your comments below.
