Soccer Star, Ronaldo, To Intern For Ad Agency
One of the world's most famous soccer players, Ronaldo, will soon be embarking on another career -- on the other side of the sponsorship table. Having retired from soccer in 2011, the former Brazilian striker who at one point reportedly earned north of $20M annually from endorsements with Nike, Castrol and others, will be moving to London to study advertising as an intern at WPP - the world's largest advertising and communications firm - under the tutelage of WPP CEO Sir Martin Sorrell. The move may prove to be a smart strategic play as agencies turn their attention to the important BRIC countries ahead of the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympics.
"He is a colleague and adviser on Brazil World Cup and Rio Olympics," Sorrell told The Guardian. "He is coming to London, we have a joint venture company and I think he will be working with that."
Sorrell has often cited Latin America, and in particular Brazil, as a market that's rapidly growing in importance for marketers and agencies. Ronaldo, one of only three men to have won the FIFA Player of the Year three times, is one of the most recognized personalities in Brazil.
#strategtag
