If Super Bowl goes well, sky is the limit for Sherman’s endorsement deals

Before the end of the Seahawks NFC Title win – we got a look at Richard Sherman’s first big advertising gig: Beats by Dre headphones.

And then came the rant.

If you didn’t know who Richard Sherman was before the rant, you probably do now.

Some in the media are pigeon-holing Sherman as a villain after he got so emotional following the game-saving play, but marketing expert Nathan Miller tells the Morning News on KIRO Radio that might not be a bad thing. It might be a recipe for endorsement success.

“He’s got the football acumen, he’s got the brain, he knows how to play, he’s a receiver first, he switched over to cornerback and he’s been in this position for only a few years,” explains Miller. “He’s a really smart guy and obviously he’s got a good team around him that knows how to market him, how to build his brand. And I think he can take this (emotional rant) and play it to his advantage.”

Miller says the potential for Sherman to capitalize on his success will skyrocket if he plays well in the Super Bowl.

“If he picks off Peyton Manning a couple times, I think the sky’s the limit because he’s looking at a contract extension with the Seahawks. He’s already got the Beats by Dre endorsement – there are all sorts of other endorsement possibilities.”

It doesn’t mean Sherman will need to “play the villain” forever, according to Miller, who cited Lebron James as someone who was once seen as a villain for leaving Cleveland for Miami, but has since changed his image around.

“I think people will realize the more they learn about Richard Sherman, he is a good guy, he is a smart guy, he’s a great team player. He’s just really excited about the game and he cares about winning and he cares about Seattle, he cares about the team. And I think that’s going to play really well when it comes to his marketing goals.”