Roger Federer - a legacy in ads

Roger Federer has just announced his retirement from tennis after the Laver Cup next week. After an incredibly successful career that spanned over two decades, he is today, the embodiment of determination and perseverance. Federer has always been a top pick for brands for endorsements. He has endorsed some of the most renowned brands. The list includes, Nike, Rolex, Mercedes-Benz to name a few.

Let's take a look at some of the most loved advertisements that featured Roger Federer as himself.

Lindt Lindor and Roger Federer - Airport commercial

Drool worthy body, absolutely enticing features, buttery smooth movements, love at first sight. Yes, you guessed it right, I’m talking about Lindt chocolates. Confused, aren’t you? The ad featuring a couple of unapologetic air hostesses and Roger Federer, personifies Lindt’s Lindor chocolate to be irresistible. A comparison is made between Federer and the Lindor chocolate that leaves us almost jumping out of our seats to go buy the latter. A very quirky and well put together advertisement for its time that cleverly covers up Federer’s lack of acting skills with his abundance of superior physical qualities.

Easter egg - Nike had a clever product placement in this Lindt ad.

Sunrise Freedom - TV Spot

I guess James Bond had an errand to run the day they filmed this ad. That’s why the next most logical choice is Roger Federer of course. Jumping from one building to another, hanging from helicopters is definitely something we associate with Federer. If he can win something as life threatening as a grand slam, he can jump off a couple of buildings, no problem. The ad does ‘speak for itself’ and ‘makes total sense.’ There really is a lot of scope for a potential action packed acting career here. I guess the sun didn’t rise in Federer’s favour or maybe he just had a few more Grand Slams he wanted to win.

Roger Federer - Mercedes-Benz SL commercial

‘The man, the myth, the hair’, extensively documented in this Mercedes-Benz commercial. Key moments from Roger Federer’s career are highlighted in this ad. Everything from his rookie season to his bad boy phase to being the fashion icon of the year. Radical choices and changes came aplenty throughout his career, albeit, one thing remained constant. A companion that evolved and matured along with him. A loyal friend that stuck by his side trough thick and thin, ups and downs, long hair and short. The Mercedes-Benz SL never gave up on him. Camaraderie like this is truly hard to find. A fun and well thought out advertisement. We all long for such companionship in our lives. Well, we can now have it for just a couple of crores.

Nike ‘coach’ advertisement featuring Roger Federer and Rhys Darby

Nike and Federer have always had an unbreakable bond. It very well represented in this ad. There are no Nike products being advertised here. For that matter, Federer isn’t even wearing official Nike clothing like he normally would. The product being endorsed here is Roger Federer himself. The enemy, impersonating his coach is seen in all Nike attire attacking him in the privacy of his own home. 'The Fed’ fights back against all his attempts and emerges victorious. Thus, proving that there really is nothing that can stop the mighty Roger Federer. Great advertisement, brilliant way of endorsing a brand. Why aren’t all brands adopting this marketing method? Sell the endorser not the product. It worked out for Federer right?

The Promise with Roger Federer and Zizou - Barilla

Pulling pranks have always been a risky mode of advertising as they can easily not work in your favour or seem very scripted. Barilla’s advertisement featuring Roger Federer and young tennis sensation Zizou is one that fought the odds to become one of the most loveable ads featuring Federer, of all time. We see Federer promising to play a game with Zizou in an interview. He keeps his promise by surprising him in front of a crowd where everyone, from the chef of the restaurant to the children in the crowd were present to cheer Zizou on. It was really a special day for Zizou and the sentiment was well conveyed. The announcement of the winner was interrupted by the arrival of Barilla’s pasta. A great ad, that appealed to many.

Thank you, Roger - Rolex

Greatness, beauty, discipline, perfection, grace and elegance. Words that can easily be associated with Roger Federer and his career up until now. Clever words chosen by the latest Rolex advertisement as a tribute to the man himself and the legacy he leaves behind. Rolex, a brand that is synonymous with all the above words, has been a constant supporter of Federer and has endorsed him for as long as we can remember. The ad showcases some important highlights of his successful career. Spanning from championship winning strokes to famous trick shots to clever judgement. A great summary of what an absolutely legendary tenure Federer has had. A fitting ad, dedicated to a legend who says goodbye to the sport that will never say goodbye to him. He leaves behind a legacy that many of the future generations will have much to learn from.