How Messi’s Barcelona exit for Paris will affect his branding power

Lionel Messi's decision to bolt Football Club Barcelona for Paris-Saint-Germain has rocked the sports and media world. How the move affects his play on the field remains to be seen, but the switch seems poised to boost his already astronomical draw as a brand endorser. Messi’s power as a marketer puts him in rarified air occupied by sports giants such as LeBron James and Cristiano Ronaldo—and it will only go up after this news, partly because of the attention it is getting. His four-year contract with FC Barcelona that ended in June was reportedly worth $672 million. Forbes ranks him as the second highest paid athlete for 2021 at $130 million, including $33 million in off-field earnings, putting him behind only mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor. He is set to sign with Paris-Saint-Germain in a two-year deal valued at 35 million euros ($41 million) net annually, according to the Associated Press. Messi is in a good position to lure even more mega-endorsement deals as the team switch puts a new spotlight on him, predicts Rakesh Dhall, partnerships director at London-based creative agency 20ten and a former player with Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur’s Academy under 19s team. He argues that Messi had to make the move to boost his long-term legacy, likening it to Ronaldo winning with various European clubs in England, Spain, and now Italy. Messi has to do the same "to be truly considered as the world’s best," Dhall says, adding that "Messi is arguably the world’s best-ever; he is treated like an icon, God-like figure and has re-invented football culture across the world for decades.” Carl Driesener, senior marketing scientist at the Australian Ehrenberg-Bass Institute, points to Messi’s 240 million Instagram-follower army as an indication of the reach he gives sponsors. But Diesener says a lot hinges on how much winning Messi is able to do with his new club. Subscribe to Ad Age now for the latest industry news and analysis. James and Ronaldo offer an indication of what will happen to Messi’s brand power after he changes teams. Their earnings power accelerated, partly because so many fans grabbed for the latest team jersey. Fans supported anything that had their names on it, says Brian Quarles, chief creative officer at Revolution, a sports marketing agency. "Messi's on another level and not slowing down. He's the biggest star on the planet," Quarles says. Messi endorsers such as PepsiCo are already seizing on his switch. The company’s Gatorade brand today released a video called “Messi Mindset” that highlights Messi’s biggest plays throughout his career with FC Barcelona under the company’s “The Greatest Never Settle” international brand campaign, which has featured some of the brand’s biggest endorsers, such as Serena Williams. Some of Messi’s other sponsors are Adidas, with which he has a lifetime contract; as well as Huawei, Hawkers Sunglasses, and Ooredoo. He makes roughly $34 million a year in endorsements, according to Sports Illustrated. While there are widespread reports that he is headed for Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG), he did not confirm the news during his Barcelona farewell press conference Sunday, instead saying, "[PSG] is one possibility. There's nothing closed at the moment, but we're talking about a lot of things. After Barca's statement, a lot of clubs showed an interest. There's nothing final, but, of course, there are talks." PSG is a part of a French domestic league, Ligue 1, which has been seen as less competitive. But if the league lures Messi it could be mutually beneficial for the league and the player. Stade Brestois 29 FC coach, Michel Der Zakarian, alluded to that in a comment this week in regards to speculation about Messi’s next club, saying: “We say that we have a shit league, but if we manage to bring in a player like that, it would be exceptional. I’m not going to be polite here – but he gives me a hard-on.” Dae Hee Kwak, director of the Center of Sports Marketing Research at The University of Michigan, has a different opinion on Messi’s decision to go to Paris, saying that other leagues have the media visibility, TV and streaming deals and global audience that he and his sponsors will miss. Still, Kwak said the move has an upside for brands affiliated with Messi, because of the attention it is getting. “Messi's new move will only add more publicity and buzz to the sponsor as it presents an opportunity to refresh their communication and leveraging efforts," Kwak says. This story has been updated with details on Messi's Paris contract.

How Messi’s Barcelona exit for Paris will affect his branding power

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