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Chapter 47

BUSINESS INSIDER

'Anton Akhmerov is Bulletproof'

Can Anton Akhmerov's Star Power Help Luxury Brands Improve Declining Sales?

August 18, 2008

Italian carmaker Mercuri is only one of the luxury brands taking a gamble by choosing volatile Russian tennis player Anton Akhmerov to be their brand ambassador. The tennis player recently won the Mercuri Tennis Grand Prix in Connecticut, and the partnership was engineered by Sara Westberger, CEO of Mercuri North America.

"If anyone fits the target profile of a Mercuri customer, it's Anton Akhmerov," said Westberger. "He doesn't just appear in the advertisements; he lives the lifestyle."

Mercuri is hoping to raise its profile in the United States by inking an alliance with the star tennis player, a young and adventurous multimillionaire jet-setter who is omnipresent in the international scene. Although the Russian athlete is sometimes referred to as the Bad Boy of Tennis, making headlines for partying hard, dating glamorous women and crashing very expensive cars during the early part of his career, Akhmerov has always ranked high in terms of likability.

According to Q Scores Marketing Research data, both men and women respond favorably to Anton Akhmerov. "All women want him, and men simply aspire to be like him. And this naturally follows for the brands he endorses, as likability is an important predictor of greater consumer involvement," said a spokesperson from the market research firm.

A Japanese energy drink Akhmerov endorsed conquered the sports drink market in Japan after its makeover featuring Anton Akhmerov's image on its bottles. Akhmerov's endorsement of a Japanese laptop brand also helped rejuvenate the brand in 2006, bringing revenue up to 22.6%.

"Tennis is an international sport, and Anton is the best choice there is if you want global brand penetration," said John Donaldson, Akhmerov's agent. "When he defeated Matt Greenberg back in 1999, we knew he was a star, and his star is just going to keep rising."

Mercuri's sales nosedived by about 58.7% in March, and now the company is hoping to turn around these sales figures by December with a bold move like having Anton Akhmerov endorse the upscale car brand.

It probably helps that with Anton Akhmerov's movie star good looks, he can transform from gritty, earthy athlete in Gillette ads to polished metrosexual for high-end luxury brands like Mercuri.

Anton Akhmerov might be said by some to be difficult, but this does not make him unlikeable. People simply perceive the athlete as authentic and someone who stays true to himself. In his interviews, Akhmerov is refreshingly honest, to the point of (some might say) rudeness. And yet, somehow, this only makes him endearing to his audience, who are more than eager to forgive his lapses, prompting PR analyst Harvey Sternberg to say, "Anton Akhmerov is bulletproof."

SOPHIE

"If I were her, I'd choose the film version of Jeff Daniels, rather than the real Jeff Daniels," says Aphro.

"Really?" I ask. "I mean, sure, Tom Baxter adores Cecilia, but he's just a character. It's not real."

"So you'd rather have the real, imperfect person, who is capable of hurting you?"

"Um..." I bite my lower lip. "Neither? I thought I was clear that I would rather be alone."

Aphro and I are watching The Purple Rose of Cairo, starring Mia Farrow and Jeff Daniels. I haven't reported for work again.