Motorola tries to bend it, with Beckham
Soccer star signs three-year deal to pitch the cell phone maker's products, including its Moto Red phone.
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - It might be hard to imagine, but there's more going on in the world of soccer than the World Cup. David Beckham, one of soccer's most popular players, has signed an endorsement deal with Motorola. Under the three-year deal, Beckham will make advertising appearances and promote Motorola products in stores across Asia, Motorola said.
Beckham, an Englishman who plays for soccer's "dream team," Real Madrid, will also back Motorola's new Moto Red mobile phone created to help eliminate AIDS in Africa, the company said in a statement on its Web site. Motorola will be donating a percentage of the profits from the Moto Red phone to The Global Fund, which provides financial support for the fight against AIDS in Africa. For each Moto Red phone sold, as well as normal monthly charges, a percentage will be contributed to the Global Fund, according to Web site for the Product Red campaign. Also under the endorsement deal, Motorola users will be able to download exclusive screen savers and video clips of Beckham onto their handsets, according to Motorola's Web site. Beckham tops Forbes magazine's list of highest-earning soccer players, with income of about $32 million a year. Beckham also has more endorsements than any other player in the game, including deals with Adidas, PepsiCo, Vodafone, retailer Marks & Spencer of Britain and Siemens, according to Forbes. Beckham gained ever more fame worldwide after the release of the 2002 movie "Bend it Like Beckham," about a girl in Britain who idolizes the soccer star. ---------------------- Related: Madonna to shake it for H&M Related: More on newsmakers |
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