The world is his oyster
Masters champion Zach Johnson told the nation that he has no plans to change, despite becoming the first Iowan to win golf’s storied tournament.
Life could be changing quickly and dramatically, however, for the 31-year-old from Cedar Rapids.
Rick Horrow, nationally known as “The Sports Professor” and chairman of the sports marketing and consulting company Horrow Sports Ventures, said Johnson’s Midwestern roots and family image should generate “$5 million to $10 million in fairly short order” with endorsements.
On Monday, Johnson recited the “Top Ten” list on the “Late Show with David Letterman” and appeared Tuesday on “Live with Regis and Kelly.” The Web search engine Yahoo listed “Zach Johnson” as the hottest search request of the day.
Johnson sponsor Titleist placed a prominent Johnson advertisement online, and Dunning Golf raved about how its apparel played a role in the championship.
The marketing of an Iowa champion has begun.
“The sky is the limit now for Zach Johnson,” Horrow said.
Seizing marketing-lightning-in-a-bottle after winning a major, televised sports championship is not uncommon. Sports business experts say that Johnson’s added attributes of humility, values and family could be, though.
Johnson is a champion and - more important to potential marketers - he’s a likable champion.
“You have the guys that the media and fans tend to love who are constantly getting arrested or doing other funny stuff and are in the news all the time,” said Rocky Hambric, a sports agent in Dallas.
“Then, you have the Zach Johnson types who are the boys next door and who have made it big with a life in good order and priorities that are straight.”
Hambric said that Johnson’s advantage is that he has the image major company executives love to associate with their businesses.
“If you look at it long term, it will change his value for the rest of his career and will extend significantly his marketability,” said Hambric, who has represented Masters champions Larry Mize and U.S. Open champion Scott Simpson. “If he never wins another major championship, at least he will always have that title. No matter how long he plays, it will be a factor in his marketability.”
Johnson had worked to the fringes of professional golf recognition with more than $7 million in PGA Tour career winnings and a spot on the 2006 Ryder Cup team.
The Masters victory by two strokes over challengers such as Tiger Woods, however, rocketed Johnson to another level of visibility and marketing viability.
Johnson’s current group of five sponsors is made up of Aegon USA, an international financial services company; RSM McGladrey; Bayer; Titleist; and Dunning Golf.
Everyone wants a piece of Johnson’s moment, it seems. Dunning Golf issued a news release Monday pointing out that Johnson won “while competing in a complete playing system from Dunning Golf luxury performance apparel. In cool conditions, Zach relied on Dunning Golf to keep his muscles loose while allowing for ideal playability and freedom of movement.”
Cindy Nodorft, director of corporate communications for Aegon USA, said company officials and employees in Cedar Rapids were thrilled for Johnson and his family as he completed his championship underneath an Aegon hat.
Nodorft said the company has a three-year sponsorship agreement with Johnson - and intends to keep him as a company spokesman for many years.
“Our relationship will continue,” Nodorft said. “Zach is the kind of person that we want to represent Aegon and its companies. He and his family represent our values and the values of our customers.”
Horrow said categories such as financial services, automobiles and other companies stressing dependability will be interested in the newest champion.
Johnson’s humility, though, has some marketing experts wondering what moves he will - or won’t - make.
Hambric said all Masters champions must face the questions of how best and how far to capitalize on victory, and he expects Johnson to be circumspect.
“Zach strikes me as the kind of guy who won’t take full advantage of that for personal reasons,” Hambric said. “He is not the kind of man who will jump on every airplane and play in every event because he can get hundreds of thousands of dollars in appearance fees.”
Woods, the most dominant force in golf today with 12 major victories, including four Masters titles, works with 12 major sponsors that include makers of automobiles, video games, sports clothing and equipment and more.
Horrow said that Woods’ popularity has “primed the pump” for other top-name golfers to attract particular demographic groups.
“Tiger will get his $100 million annually, but there is clearly room below Tiger for a steady, reliable, family-oriented corporate spokesperson from the Midwest - and that is how Zach Johnson portrays himself,” Horrow said.