‘I wouldn’t call myself a brand, but many people say my name could serve as a brand.’ Exploring a conceptualization and typology of athlete brands

Abstract

Research Question Building on the literature on human branding, athlete branding, and branding capability, this study examines the brand building process of athletes and is the first to derive an athlete brand building typology.Research Methods Semi-structured interviews with 13 professional and semi-professional German athletes were conducted in 2018. The interviews were enriched with data from the athletes’ Instagram accounts. To verify the data and obtain deeper insights into the athletes’ branding capabilities, the study was repeated with 12 of the 13 athletes prior to the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo.Results and Findings The findings indicate the first typology of athlete brand building with three specific types of human brands: brand antagonist, brand supporter, and brand manager. These three types can be differentiated by the athlete core, the brand concept, the role of social media, the sport ecosystem, and their sponsorship relationships.Implications This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the emerging field of athlete branding. The typology can help athletes and their managers to design specific brand building activities depending on the respective athlete type. Additionally, this study is the first conceptualization and typology of athlete brand building. Furthermore, this study marks a starting point for a more comprehensive understanding and further research on athlete branding.

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