As Brazil prepares to host two of the world’s biggest sporting events in the next four years, one of the country’s biggest soccer stars, Edson Arantes do Nascimento (better known as Pelé) has partnered with MediaCom Sport for a series of brand extensions.Brazil will host the FIFA World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016.
MediaCom Sport has signed on to represent the international soccer star in advertising, sponsorship and other brand extension deals including consumer products under a four-year contract, brokered by Pelé’s global agent, Legends 10.
“Pelé changed the way the world plays football and this is a great opportunity for marketers to leverage one of the few genuine heroes in the world today, at a time when Brazil will be firmly in the sporting headlines,” says Stephen Allan, worldwide chairman and chief executive, MediaCom. “Beyond his footballing achievements, Pelé has an incredible story to tell from the poverty of his upbringing to his humanitarian work since he retired from professional sports.”