GERMAN CAR manufacturer Volkswagen has become the latest big-name brand to cash in on the sensation that is Brazilian footballer Neymar, having signed the twenty-year-old in a four-year endorsement contract to run through the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
Frontloaded estimates Volkswagen will pay Neymar at least $1 million per year.
Having shot to fame in his native Brazil at the age of seventeen, as a result of his flair and talent on the pitch, the Santos striker has since become a major sponsorship property due to his national, and ever-increasing international, popularity.
So much so, that Santos' principal partner Banco BMG admitted that its one-year sponsorship extension, agreed last year, was aided by Neymar’s decision to renew his contract with the club.
Volkswagen will join the likes of Nike, Panasonic, Unilever and Santander, as well as Brazilian brands Claro (telecoms), Lupo (underwear), Tenys-pe (foot care), and Guarana Antarctica (soft drinks) as official sponsors of the player.
As in similar partnerships, Neymar will be expected to feature in Volkswagen advertising campaigns and to be available for appearances and functions. This latest agreement, however, has led to questions over how the player will continue to manage his burgeoning endorsement portfolio alongside his professional football commitments.
For Volkswagen, having lost out to auto rival Nissan on becoming a Tier One partner to Rio 2016, partnering with Neymar, who is likely to be a key supporter of the Games over the next few years, could well be the next best thing.
By Luke Harman
Follow Luke on Twitter: @lukeharmanSBG