Two Minutes For Looking So Good: Star Athlete Endorsements

Summary

Summary of "Two Minutes For Looking So Good: Star Athlete Endorsements"

Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly, hosted by Terry O’Reilly from the Apostrophe Podcast Network, delves into the intricate world of advertising, connecting the dots between pop culture, marketing, and human behavior. In the episode titled "Two Minutes For Looking So Good: Star Athlete Endorsements," released on April 5, 2025, Terry explores the powerful synergy between star athletes and brand endorsements, illustrating how these partnerships not only amplify brand visibility but also cement the athletes' legacies beyond their sports careers.

1. The Genesis of Athlete Endorsements

The episode begins with a fascinating recount of how athlete endorsements have evolved into a cornerstone of modern marketing. Terry emphasizes that unlike movie stars who are heroes for a limited time, superstar athletes maintain their heroic status throughout their lives, making their image perpetually valuable for brands.

Notable Quote:

"A movie star is a hero for two hours, but a superstar athlete can be a hero for life." — Terry O'Reilly [27:30]

2. Jerry Maguire and the Reebok Controversy

Terry narrates the iconic story of the 1996 film Jerry Maguire and its unintended clash with Reebok. The film, penned by Cameron Crowe, introduced a 25-page mission statement promoting a more personal and ethical approach to sports management. This manifesto, inspired by Jeffrey Katzenberg's real-life plea to Disney, led to Maguire's firing and the subsequent abandonment by his clients, except for Rod Tidwell, portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr.

Reebok had secured a $1.5 million product placement deal, expecting Rod Tidwell to appear in a Reebok commercial. However, the film’s creative direction led to the exclusion of the commercial, culminating in a lawsuit where Reebok felt misrepresented by the film's famous line, "Show me the money."

Notable Quote:

"Reebok and the studio negotiated a settlement and the Commercial was subsequently reinstated for the movie's television airings and was added as a special feature on the DVD." — Terry O'Reilly [06:00]

3. Maurice “Rocket” Richard and Grecian Formula

The narrative shifts to Maurice Richard, a legendary hockey player whose endorsement of Grecian Formula, a men's hair dye, became a landmark campaign. Maurice, known for his impressive sports achievements, lent authenticity and star power to the product. The commercial, featuring his catchphrase "Two minutes for looking so good," resonated deeply with consumers, solidifying Grecian Formula's dominance in the men's hair dye market for decades.

Notable Quote:

"Look as young as you feel with Grecian Formula 16 liquid or cream." — Narrator [10:56]

4. Joe Namath and the Iconic Pantyhose Commercial

Terry recounts the innovative and bold decision to feature NFL star Joe Namath in a pantyhose commercial for Beauty Miss Pantyhose. Initially approached with skepticism, Namath's charisma and humor turned the campaign into a memorable success. His willingness to embrace the unconventional endorsement not only boosted the product's popularity but also challenged gender norms in advertising.

Notable Quote:

"I shave my legs all the time." — Joe Namath [12:45]

5. Bo Jackson and the "Bo Knows" Nike Campaign

One of the most celebrated athlete endorsements discussed is Bo Jackson's association with Nike's "Bo Knows" campaign. Bo Jackson, excelling in both Major League Baseball and the NFL, embodied versatility and athletic prowess, making him the perfect ambassador for Nike's cross-training shoes. The campaign's clever play on Bo's name and multifaceted talents resonated widely, leading Nike to capture a significant share of the market and displace competitors like Reebok.

Notable Quote:

"Bo knows football." — Marc Maron [23:39]

6. Laila Ali and Adidas’ Tribute to Muhammad Ali

The episode highlights Laila Ali's pivotal role in Adidas’ "Impossible is Nothing" campaign, which paid homage to her legendary father, Muhammad Ali. Despite initial resistance from Muhammad Ali regarding women in boxing, Laila's determination and eventual success in the sport provided a powerful narrative for Adidas. The commercial, which ingeniously integrated archival footage with new scenes featuring Laila, underscored the theme that "Impossible is nothing," reinforcing both Ali's and Adidas' legacies.

Notable Quote:

"Impossible is an effect. It's an opinion." — Serena Williams [19:55]

7. Richard Williams and Nike’s "Dream Crazier" Campaign

Concluding the endorsement stories, Terry discusses Nike's "Dream Crazier" campaign, inspired by Richard Williams—the father of tennis superstars Venus and Serena Williams. Richard's unwavering belief in his daughters' potential, despite societal skepticism, provided Nike with a compelling narrative of perseverance and breaking barriers. The campaign featured Serena Williams, whose powerful voice delivered a message challenging gender biases, ultimately celebrating female athletes' resilience and achievements.

Notable Quote:

"Impossible is nothing." — Narrator [20:45]

8. The Enduring Impact of Athlete Endorsements

Terry wraps up by reflecting on the enduring impact of athlete endorsements in shaping brand identities and consumer perceptions. He highlights how athletes like Michael Jordan have transcended their sports, becoming global icons whose endorsements drive monumental revenue. Michael Jordan's partnership with Nike, yielding billions in sales, exemplifies the unparalleled value of aligning with sports superstars.

Notable Quote:

"I'm Terry O'Reilly. This episode was recorded in the Tear Stream Mobile recording studio..." — Terry O'Reilly [32:00]

Conclusion

"Two Minutes For Looking So Good: Star Athlete Endorsements" offers a compelling exploration of how star athletes have shaped and been shaped by their brand endorsements. Through engaging storytelling and insightful analysis, Terry O'Reilly underscores the symbiotic relationship between athletes and brands, illustrating how these partnerships extend beyond mere advertising to become cultural phenomena.

Key Takeaways:

• Athlete endorsements significantly amplify brand visibility and credibility.
• Successful endorsements often hinge on the athlete's authenticity and alignment with the brand's values.
• Iconic campaigns, such as "Bo Knows" and "Impossible is Nothing," demonstrate the lasting impact of well-executed athlete partnerships.
• The evolution of athlete endorsements reflects broader societal changes and marketing innovations.

For those interested in the mechanics of advertising and the powerful narratives that drive successful marketing campaigns, this episode provides a rich and insightful perspective into the world of star athlete endorsements.

Transcript

[Terry O'Reilly]

Hi there, Sydney O'Reilly here. We regret to inform you that the Rejection Podcast is back for its sixth season and Terry and I have some fun episodes to share with you. This year we'll be telling the stories of Yellowstone, Josh Allen, Bill Hader, Monty Python, Billie Holiday, and Canada's own Alanis Morissette. It's jagged little Rejections this year on We Regret to Inform you. Hope you'll join us.

[LinkedIn Ad Voice]

Does it ever feel like you're a marketing professional just speaking into the void? Well, with LinkedIn ads you can know you're reaching the right decision makers. You can even target buyers by job title, industry, company seniority, skills. Wait, did I say job title yet? Get started today and see how you can avoid the void and reach the right buyers with LinkedIn ads. We'll even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign. Get started at LinkedIn.com results terms and conditions apply.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile. I don't know if you knew this, but anyone can get the same Premium Wireless for $15 a month plan that I've been enjoying. It's not just for celebrities. So do like I did and have one of your assistant's assistants switch you to Mint Mobile today. I'm told it's super easy to [e-mail].

[Terry O'Reilly]

Switch upfront payment of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 rate. First three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra.

[Warby Parker Ad Voice]

See full [e-mail] what makes a great pair of glasses? At Warby Parker, it's all the invisible extras without the extra cost. Their designer quality frames start at $95 including prescription lenses plus scratch resistant, smudge resistant and anti reflective coatings and UV protection and free adjustments for life. To find your next pair of glasses, sunglasses or contact lenses, or to find the Warby Parker store nearest you, head over to warbyparker.com that's warbyparker.com.

[Narrator]

Youm can listen to this episode ad free on Amazon Music.

[Marc Maron]

This is an Apostrophe Podcast production. We're going to show you our big new Studebaker. Start the car. Mamma mia, that's a spicy meatball. What love doesn't conquer. Alka sells her will. What a relief.

[Warby Parker Ad Voice]

You're under the influence with Terry O'Reilly.

[Narrator]

The 1996 movie Jerry Maguire spawns several classic lines. You had me at hello, help me help you. And maybe the most famous line from the film is on The American Film Institute's list of the 100 best movie quotes of all time. What you gonna do, Jerry?

[Marc Maron]

Show me the money.

[Narrator]

Jerry Maguire, played by Tom Cruise, is an ambitious sports agent. One day, the young son of a client asks Jerry, what do you stand for? That question prompts McGuire to re evaluate his career and he writes a 25 page mission statement to his company saying they should take on less clients and create a better, more caring relationship with them. The memo is leaked to the press and Jerry's company stands behind his revolutionary manifesto publicly, then summarily fires him. As Jerry Maguire quickly scrambles to convince his clients to stick with him, they all abandon him, except for one football player named Rod Tidwell. He's willing to stay with Jerry if Jerry can show me the money. The movie was written and directed by Cameron Crowe, who had originally written the lead role for Tom Hanks. But it took Crow so long to write the screenplay that by the time it was finished, Hanks was too old to play the part. When Crowe then said he wanted Tom Cruise for the lead role, he was told Cruise would never play a loser. As it turns out, Cruise was desperate to play a character who was down and out. Cameron Crowe really did write out the full 25 page mission statement that gets Maguire fired, even though it never gets fully read on screen. That manifesto was inspired by a real life incident when film executive Jeffrey Katzenberg wrote a similar 28 page tirade telling the Walt Disney Company they should return to storytelling and move away from empty movie spectacles. Interestingly, Reebok struck up a product placement deal with the Jerry Maguire movie for $1.5 million. Reebok provided merchandise, flooded the marketplace with movie tie ins and produced advertising promoting the upcoming film. In return, Cuba Gooding's character Rod Tidwell was to appear in a Reebok commercial which would run during the end credits, which Reebok produced and paid for. When the movie came out, the Reebok commercial wasn't in the film. As a matter of fact, Rod Tidwell at one point says F. Reebok, Cameron Crowe felt the commercial didn't fit creatively with the movie. Furious, Reebok sued for breach of contract demanding $10 million and threw the movie's main line, show me the money back at the Hollywood studio. You can understand Reebok's position. It had spent $1.5 million promoting a movie that said F. Reebok. As the shoe company said in court, it was almost as if the line had been scripted by Nike. At the end of the day, Reebok and the studio negotiated a settlement and the Commercial was subsequently reinstated for the movie's television airings and was added as a special feature on the dvd. While sports agents like Jerry Maguire handle many elements of an athlete's career, landing endorsement deals is among the most lucrative. Most star athletes make a lot more money endorsing products than they do on the field, the court or the ice. Today, we'll tell the stories behind some of the most interesting sports star commercials. Because when big money is dangled, most athletes say, you had me at hello.

[Warby Parker Ad Voice]

You're under the influence.

[Narrator]

During the Second World War, an American agent named Julius Amos, who worked for the predecessor of the CIA, was stationed in Greece. Amos suffered from a dandruff problem and mentioned it to his Greek barber. That barber gave him a bottle of clear liquid to apply to his scalp every day. Two weeks later, Amos not only noticed that his dandruff had disappeared, but his gray hair was slowly turning dark again. When Amos got back to the States, he set up a company called Worldwide Rights and acquired the product from his barber. To honor that Greek barber, Amos called the product Grecian Formula. Amos then tried to market the product as a woman's hair dye. But it never took off. So Amos looked for another company to market the product. That's when he met Ivan Kuhn. Kuhn had worked for advertising agency Young and Rubicam in New York and then later worked for an over the counter pharmaceutical firm. Taking his marketing and pharma knowledge, Coombs started his own company to sell personal care products. His first big hit was acne cream. He knew all teenagers wanted clear skin, so he named it Clearasil. Coombe advertised it on the show all teenagers watched in 1960. American Bandstand.

[Marc Maron]

When you have pimples, you need a medication developed specifically for this problem. Not a general purpose skin cream that might be good for chapskin or sunburn. Not simple wiping pads that merely cleanse the surface. You need the active medications prescribed by leading skin specialists and that is Clearasil.

[Narrator]

With that huge success, Coombe looked for other products he could promote. That's when he met Julius Amos. Instead of marketing Grecian formula hair dye to women, Kuhn wanted to advertise it to men. It was a radical decision, as not many grooming products were aimed at men at that time. So Kuhn relaunched the product in 1961 as Grecian Formula 16. And for the next 40 years, it held 70% of the men's hair dye category. That's when one particular athlete entered the picture.

[Marc Maron]

Pass intercepted by Maurice Richard. Maurice Richard passed it right in front of the net. Morris took a whack at it. Maurice Richard right in front of him.

[Narrator]

Maurice Richard was a hockey icon. The captain of the Montreal Canadiens, he played from 1942 to 1960. Richard was the first to score 50 goals in 50 games, a record that stood for 36 years. He was the first to score eight points in one game, first to reach 500 career goals. He played in 13 all star games and helped the Canadiens win eight Stanley Cups. The Rocket was simply hockey royalty. In 1983, the retired and slightly graying Rocket Richard starred in a classic commercial for Grecian Formula.

[Marc Maron]

When it comes to feeling young, a lot of it's up here. Three years ago, Maurice Richard said, goodbye, gray hair. Hello, Grecian Formula 16. It was so easy. Remember, Grecian's as easy to use as.

[Narrator]

Water works for any color hair.

[Marc Maron]

The change was so gradual and looked so natural, no one even noticed. Today I still leave a touch of gray. The wife likes it. Hey, Richard. Two minutes for looking so good.

[Narrator]

Look as young as you feel with Grecian formula 16 liquid or cream. That line, two minutes for looking so good, became a catchphrase that lives on to this day. One day, an ad writer named Peggy King had to come up with a commercial idea for her client. Beauty missed pantyhose. While watching Monday Night Football one evening, she heard Howard Cosell say that star quarterback Joe Namath's legs had taken a lot of punishment. Then it hit why not put a man in pantyhose? If Beauty Miss can make a man's legs look great, imagine what they could do for women. The first celebrity Peggy King approached was was Burt Reynolds. He had just posed nude in Playgirl magazine, and he had good legs. But Reynolds wanted $1 million. So the next celebrity the ad agency went after was Joe Namath. Namath was the football league's star quarterback, and he rocketed to fame when he made the famous guarantee that his team, the heavy underdog New York jets, would win Super Bowl 3. Shockingly, they did, beating the powerful Baltimore Colts in one of the biggest upsets in sports history. Namath was named the super bowl mvp and his fame exploded. Namath was good looking, had a great sense of humor, and was loaded with charisma. He became the toast of the town. But the question remained, would Joe Namathe, Broadway Joe Namath, quarterback for the New York jets, superstar male athlete, actually donned pantyhose for a commercial? When his lawyer presented the pantyhose commercial idea to Namath Namath just laughed. He thought it was hilarious, and he thought it was a good payday. He signed the deal for $100,000, or the equivalent of 680,000 in today's dollars. On the way to the shoot that morning, Namath's lawyer was afraid to tell Joe just one more detail. It was his duty to inform Namath that he had to shave his legs for the commercial. When he finally got up the nerve, Namath just burst out laughing. He said, I shave my legs all the time. Turned out Namath shaved his legs before every game in order to tape his knees and ankles. When he got to the soundstage, Namath just laughed as he slipped on the pantyhose. And the rest is history.

[Marc Maron]

This commercial will prove to the women of America that Beauty Miss Pantyhose can make any legs look like a million dollars.

[Narrator]

The commercial begins at a pair of bare feet and slowly pans up two legs in silky pantyhose. Then it's revealed those legs belong to Big Joe Namath.

[Marc Maron]

Now, I don't wear pantyhose, but if Beauty Mist can make my legs look good, imagine what they'll do for yours. Somehow everything looks better through Beauty Mist, especially your legs.

[Narrator]

Namath had called his mother in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, to give her a heads up that he would be wearing pantyhose in a commercial. She gasped, but then laughed when she finally saw it. The jets public relations office said Joe got a lot of ribbing from other players, but he couldn't care less. His confidence was part of his appeal. Here's the best part. During the 1977 season, the temperature was bone chilling. So the jets equipment manager came up with the idea to have the team wear pantyhose under their uniforms to keep warm. He sent his wife out to buy extra large pantyhose for the entire team. The next thing you know, it wasn't just Joe sporting nylons. When we come back, Layla Ali goes a few rounds with her famous father.

[LinkedIn Ad Voice]

Does it ever feel like you're a marketing professional just speaking into the void? Well, with LinkedIn ads, you can know you're reaching the right decision makers. You can even target buyers by job title, industry, company, seniority, skills. Wait, did I say job title yet? Get started today and see how you can avoid the void and reach the right buyers with LinkedIn ads. We'll even give you a $100 credit on your next campaign. Get started at LinkedIn.com results, terms and conditions apply.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying Big wireless way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15. Of course if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment anyway. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per month required Intro rate first three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra.

[Warby Parker Ad Voice]

See full [e-mail] what makes a great pair of glasses? At Warby Parker, it's all the invisible extras without the extra cost. Their designer quality frames start at $95 and including prescription lenses plus scratch resistant, smudge resistant and anti reflective coatings and UV protection and free adjustments for life. To find your next pair of glasses, sunglasses or contact lenses or to find the Warby Parker store nearest you, head over to warbyparker.com that's warbyparker.com.

[Narrator]

When Adidas was launching its Impossible is Nothing campaign in 2004, it looked for great stories to build commercials around. Adidas also had a long history with superstar athletes and wanted to tip its hat to its history while building a bridge to present day athletes. Enter Laila Ali. The daughter of Muhammad Ali, Layla had a story to tell. Her father was the icon of icons, voted the most important athlete of the 20th century. He also wore Adidas in the ring during most of his fights, including his famous Rumble in the Jungle bout against George Foreman. Layla didn't even see a women's boxing match until she was 17 years old. She didn't even know women's boxing existed. But as soon as she saw it, she she wanted to do it. Laila Ali won the wbc, wiba, IWBF and IBA titles in the super middleweight division as well as the IWBF light heavyweight belt with a perfect 240 record with 21 knockouts. But before all that success, she had never participated in sports. She wasn't an athlete and she was 30 pounds overweight. But there was another stumbling block. Her father, Ali, told her that boxing was not for women. He said it's too hard. It's a man's sport. He said the whole world would be watching. And what if you get knocked down? Layla said. I'm going to get back up just like you did. The idea for the Adidas commercial was to show Laila Ali boxing her famous father. It took two months to put the film together as it combined footage from four of Muhammad Ali's most famous fights and inserted Layla into The action. The new footage of Layla had to be downgraded to match the gritty quality of her father's footage from the 60s and 70s when cameras weren't as sophisticated. Then Layla had to duplicate the moves of Ally's opponents perfectly to the millisecond, so that they both move together seamlessly. Every little tweak required 20 hours of computer rendering. As the commercial begins, we see Muhammad Ali enter the ring wearing his classic white robe. Then Layla begins a voiceover tribute to her father.

[Serena Williams]

Impossible is an effect. It's an opinion.

[Narrator]

Then his opponent enters the ring in a black robe. It's Laila Ali.

[Serena Williams]

Like when they said it'd be impossible to beat Sonny Liston. He's too powerful, too experienced.

[Narrator]

The bell is rung and the two begin bobbing and weaving.

[Serena Williams]

When they said, don't take the fight in Zaire. He's too young, too strong. He's gonna destroy Ali.

[Narrator]

Layla throws three. Three quick jabs and Muhammad quickly slips the mall.

[Serena Williams]

So when my father looks Impossible in the eye and defeats it again and again, what do you think I'm gonna do? When they say women shouldn't box?

[Narrator]

At that moment, Laila Ali lands a big punch that sends Muhammad Ali back into the ropes.

[Serena Williams]

Yeah, that's right. Rumble, young girl. Rumble.

[Narrator]

Muhammad looks surprised and winks. Layla smiles back. Parting words on the screen. Impossible is nothing. Adidas. After Leila Ali won her titles, her father apologized to her, saying, I'm sorry. You can fight. Women can fight. Within two weeks, the Adidas commercial had 5 million views. By the way, the Impossible is Nothing manifesto that said impossible is not a fact, it's an opinion has been attributed to Muhammad Ali over the years, but he never said was written by an ad writer named Amy Leito. Shavy. Rumble, young girl. Rumble. Back in 1989, an athlete named Bo Jackson did something that had never been done before. He became an all star in two different major league sports. At the time, Jackson was playing for the Kansas City Royals in Major League Baseball and the Las Vegas Raiders in the NFL. Also during that time, Nike was about to launch its first cross training shoe. Nike, famous for working with star athletes, thought Bo Jackson would be the perfect spokesperson for a cross trainer. Since he crossed two professional sports at once. Nike's advertising agency, Wieden and Kennedy, was given the task of coming up with a launch commercial. The lead writer on the Nike advertising was Jim Riswold. So Griswold and his team held a brainstorming meeting at a local bar to toss around ideas. But they came up empty until somebody commented that Bo was an unusual first name. So the table began yelling out names of other famous Bo Derek, Bo Brummel, Little Bo Peep, and rock pioneer Bo Diddley. Hearing Diddley's name made Griswold sit up straight. Right away, he jotted down the line, bo, you don't know Diddley. That night, Griswold imagined the whole commercial in a dream. The next morning, he wrote it down, then shared it at the office. Everyone loved it. The commercial begins with words on the screen that say cross training by Bo Jackson. Music by Bo Diddley. The commercial shows Bo Jackson excelling at all kinds of different as various sports legends comment on his remarkable abilities. Like Kirk Gibson, Bo knows baseball. And Jim Everett.

[Marc Maron]

Bo knows football.

[Narrator]

Michael Jordan.

[Marc Maron]

Bo knows basketball too.

[Narrator]

And McEnroe. Bo knows tennis. Then we see Bo playing hockey and Gretzky simply says no. At the end of the commercial, Bo Jackson is suddenly on stage with Bo Diddley and Jackson tries a guitar solo. Then Bo Diddley says, you don't know Diddley. The commercial was set to debut during the All Star game in July of 89. In the announcer booth that night was Vin Scully and President Ronald Reagan. Just as Reagan was marveling at Jackson's multi sport prowess, Jackson hit a monster leadoff home run.

[Marc Maron]

Look at that one. Bo Jackson says hello.

[Narrator]

The Bo Knows commercial aired in the middle of the fourth inning. Bo let off the bottom of the fourth with a line drive single. Then he added an RBI and a stolen base. That night, Jackson was named the All Star mvp. It was almost like Bo Jackson had a sense of what was at stake for the campaign Nike had built around him. Because if Bo had struck out all four times, it would have drained the excitement right out of the campaign. By the way, the reason Gretzky only has a one word moment is because Jim Griswold didn't think Gretzky was a good actor. So he told Gretzky to just say no. It's Gretzky's best acting moment. That Bo Knows campaign knocked Reebok out of the number one spot. And Nike eventually captured 80% of the cross training shoe market, going from $40 million in sales to 400 million. Bo showed Nike the money. When we return, Richard Williams dreams big.

[LinkedIn Ad Voice]

Does it ever feel like you're a marketing professional just speaking into the void? Well, with LinkedIn ads, you can know you're reaching the right decision makers. You can even target buyers by job title, industry, company seniority, skills. Wait, did I say job title yet? Get started. Today and see how you can avoid the void and reach the right buyers with LinkedIn ads. We'll even give you a 100 credit on your next campaign. Get started at LinkedIn.com results terms and conditions apply.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile with a message for everyone paying Big Wireless Way too much. Please, for the love of everything good in this world, stop with Mint. You can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying. No judgments. But that's weird. Okay, one judgment anyway. Give it a [e-mail] Switch upfront payment.

[Terry O'Reilly]

Of $45 for three month plan equivalent to $15 per intro rate. First three months only, then full price plan options available, taxes and fees extra.

[Warby Parker Ad Voice]

See full [e-mail] what makes a great pair of glasses? At Warby Parker, it's all the invisible extras without the extra cost. Their designer quality frames start at $95 including prescription lenses plus scratch resistant, smudge resistant and anti reflective coatings and UV protection and free adjustments for life. To find your next pair of glasses, sunglasses or contact lenses, or to find the Warby Parker store nearest you, head over to warbyparker.com that's warbyparker.com.

[Narrator]

One day, Richard Williams was changing channels on his TV and came across the end of a tennis match. The sponsor was presenting the winning female player with a check for $40,000. The commentator said 40 grand for four days work? Not bad. Williams couldn't believe it was possible to earn $40,000 in just four days, let alone for a female athlete. The next day, Williams walked into a sports store near his home in Compton, California. He said he wanted to buy 300 used tennis balls, an instructional tennis video and a book on tennis. He said he wanted to teach his two daughters how to become tennis superstars. When the store owners asked him how old his daughters were, Williams said, oh, my daughters aren't born yet. The owners laughed out loud. You're laughing now, said Richard Williams. But one day you'll look back and remember this and know I wasn't kidding. It was a crazy dream, and he wasn't kidding. Richard Williams, against all odds, taught and coached his daughters Venus and Serena to become world champions in the starch white world of professional tennis. The Williams sisters put up with the jeers, took on all comers, created their own personal styles and worked their way to the top of the game. In 2019, Nike was launching the newest commercial in its campaign. Titled Dream Crazier. It shone a spotlight on female athletes who have broken barriers and tackled the gender bias women face in sports and in life. The commercial showed athletes like gymnast Simone Biles, Antonio spurs assistant coach Becky Hammond and soccer star Megan Rapinoe achieving incredible victories. Voiceover courtesy of Serena Williams.

[Serena Williams]

If we show emotion, we're called dramatic. If we dream of equal opportunity, we're delusional. When we're too good, there's something wrong with us. And if we get angry, we're hysterical or rational or just being crazy. But a woman running a marathon was crazy.

[Ryan Reynolds]

Officials tried to pull her off the course.

[Serena Williams]

A woman boxing was crazy. A woman dunking, coaching an NBA team, competing in a Hijab or winning 23 Grand Slams, having a baby and then coming back for more. Crazy, crazy, crazy, crazy and crazy. So if they want to call you crazy, fine. Show them what crazy can do.

[Narrator]

Parting words on the screen say it's only crazy until you do it. The commercial launched during the Academy Awards. Many viewers said it was the best moment of the Oscars. Within a week, it had 6 million views on YouTube and 24 million on Twitter. It's amazing what a crazy dream can do. You can worship rock stars, but you want to be a sports star. We all marvel at the accomplishments of star athletes like Maurice Richard and Serena Williams, who seem to bend time and space to their will. That's why their images are so bankable. Athletes have endorsed products not just for decades, but centuries. Even gladiators endorsed wine and olive oil back in the Roman Colosseum days. In many ways, Joe Namath moved sports into the modern era and the endorsement industrial complex. Fuse was lit in the 1970s. Football made Namath a star, but his product endorsements made him a superstar. According to Forbes, Michael Jordan made $90 million in salary and 2.4 billion in career endorsements. He reportedly earns $250 million a year from Nike, which is a sweet deal for the shoe company as it made $7 billion from the Jordan Brand in 2024 alone. And Jordan Brand revenue has doubled since 2020. A movie star is a hero for two hours, but a superstar athlete can be a hero for life. That's why their agents say show me the money when you're under the influence. I'm Terry O'Reilly. This episode was recorded in the Tear Stream Mobile recording studio producer Debbie O'Reilly chief sound engineer Jeff Devine Research Angus Mary under the Influence themed by Casey Pick, Jeremiah Pick and James Aten Tunes provided by APM Music and let's Be Social. Follow Me errioinfluence this podcast is powered by acast. Come read next week's Fun Fact. Just go to ApostrophePodcasts CA and follow the prompts. It's easy. See you next week.

[Warby Parker Ad Voice]

Fun Fact Hi, this is Diane from Prince George, British Columbia. Rocket Richard's younger brother, the Pocket Rocket won 11 Stanley Cups, the most in NHL history. What makes a great pair of glasses at Warby Parker? It's all the invisible extras without the extra cost. Their designer quality frames start at $95 including prescription lenses plus scratch resistant, smudge resistant and anti reflective coatings and UV protection and free adjustments for life. To find your next pair of glasses, sunglasses or contact lenses, or to find the Warby Parker store nearest you, head over to warbyparker.com that's warbyparker.com hey folks.

[Marc Maron]

It'S Marc Maron from WTF. It's spring. A time of renewal, of rebirth, of reintrod. Introducing yourself to your fitness goals and Peloton has what you need to get started. You can take a variety of on demand and live classes that last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour. There are thousands of Peloton members whose lives were changed by taking charge of their fitness routines. Now you can be one of them. Spring into action right now. Find your push. Find your power with [e-mail] how do.

[Warby Parker Ad Voice]

You make an Airbnb a VRBO? Picture a vacation rental with a host who's showing you every room like you've never seen a house before. Now get rid of them. There you go. No host ever. Now it's a vrbo. Make it a vrbo.

[Terry O'Reilly]

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