He’s made headlines with his on-pitch skills, his quick-change hairstyles and his occasionally outré fashion sense. Now 26-year-old football ace David Beckham is causing a bit of a fizz with his sponsorship deals, too.
In the run-up to the World Cup the England captain has become the focus of a multimillion-pound deal between cola giants Pepsi and Coca Cola. Signed to a personal deal with Pepsi, the player will also feature on World Cup bottles of Coke through the soft drink company’s deal with the England team.
Rivalry between the two companies has raged for a century, but the appearance of David on both products prior to this summer’s tournament looks set to move the grudge up another notch.
“We’re surprised they’ve put one of the world’s most famous Pepsi drinkers on the neck of a Coke bottle,” said a spokesperson for the obviously disgruntled cola firm.
“The Beckham household has had a relationship with Pepsi since we sponsored the Spice Girls in 1995, and they have had a Pepsi chiller unit in their house ever since. It is our belief that as we go into the World Cup season, it will be clear to consumers which team David Beckham plays for.”
While Coke insists its use of the star’s marketing clout is justified through its broader sponsorship deal with the team, David himself is intent on distancing himself by concentrating on the football angle. He has let it be known that “the only red in my life is my Manchester United shirt.”
The football hero, who recently entered the list of Britain’s 1,000 richest, nudging boxer Naseem Hamed out of the rankings as the UK’s richest sports star under the age of 30, is reportedly on target to net a cool £10 million from the World Cup.
His numerous lucrative marketing deals include – in addition to the Coke and Pepsi signings – Police sunglasses, Adidas and Marks & Spencer.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Although the England captain has a personal sponsorship contract with Pepsi, his place in the national team means that he also features on special World Cup bottles of the soft drink giant's main competitor - Coke
Photo: © Alphapress.com
The football hero, who has just joined the list of Britain's 1,000 richest, looks set to make a cool £10 million from this summer's event
