‘I’ve never had a real job’: Shaq talks building his brand through ads, and says he hates ‘wealthy athletes’ who show off. It ‘makes me sick’
Source: Fortune ·
The NBA legend explains how his endorsements built his brand and why he turned down Wheaties because he doesn't endorse what he doesn't believe in.
From the source
One thing was for sure when you were a kid sneaking in some late-night TV on basic cable: you were going to get an ad for back pain relief. Maybe some car insurance. Maybe some candy or soda, and absolutely a few pairs of shoes. And more likely than not, you were going to see one person in those Icy Hot, The General, Nestle Crunch, Pepsi, and Reebok ads: the 7-foot-1-inch self-described “Big Aristotle” mononymously known as Shaq. Over the years, Shaquille O’Neal has sold part of his name for more than $100 million, appeared in ads for everything from printer ink to car (and car insurance) commercials, and owns the logo on hundreds of millions of sneakers. And yet, he still says he has never had a job. “I really respect people such as you guys who have to do real jobs. I’ve never had a real job,” O’Neal told Fortune on the sidelines of the Brand Innovators Marketing Leadership Summit at Paramount’s New York headquarters. “There was a time in my life where my son asked me to help him…