Chapter 142: The First Endorsement

Chapter 142: The First Endorsement

Bruno reviewed the terms of the contract and found everything satisfactory, so he called Mendes to arrange a signing session with the club. Besides the club signing, there was also an endorsement contract to sign. Due to Bruno's excellent performance in his first season in Serie A, coupled with his consistently healthy personal image and lack of negative publicity, many brands were keen on partnering with him.

With several potential partners to choose from, Bruno was able to set high standards for his endorsements. He decided not to consider local businesses in Udine, preferring brands that were well-known throughout Italy or even across Europe.

The Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, where Udine is located, is one of the top three economic areas in Italy, known for its manufacturing industry and home to numerous multinational corporations. These companies operate in various sectors including machinery, steel, software development, aerospace components, shipbuilding, furniture, wine, food, coffee, and tourism. Well-known companies include the appliance manufacturer Zanussi-Electrolux, Italy's largest insurance company Generali Insurance, one of the top two global metallurgical equipment manufacturers Danieli Group, the world's largest shipbuilder Fincantieri, global furniture leader Moroso, century-old furniture brand Gervasoni, and Illy, the world's largest coffee roaster.

Because Bruno brought Udinese, the pride of the Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, its first major titles in a century, his fame in the local area soared to unimaginable heights, truly becoming a household name.

Therefore, local businesses were the most eager to partner with him, including the aforementioned multinational companies. Due to the sheer number of enterprises interested in him, Mendes spent considerable time and effort filtering through potential partners, which slowed down the signing process.

To date, Mendes had finalized only one endorsement deal for Bruno, with Generali Insurance. The company sought him out because of his stellar performance last season and because Bruno's personal image aligned well with Generali's brand image. The insurance giant was very firm about securing Bruno.

Eventually, both parties filled out a three-year contract, during which Generali, one of the top ten insurance companies worldwide, would pay Bruno one million euros annually. In return, Bruno would serve as Generali's global ambassador during this period. The contract also included exclusivity clauses, meaning Bruno could not endorse other insurance brands for three years; otherwise, it would constitute a breach of contract and result in penalties.

Besides the Generali endorsement, Mendes informed Bruno that other contracts were still under negotiation. Although GestiFute, Mendes's agency, was powerful and managed many top talents, scheduling conflicts meant that some negotiations had to be pushed back.

Among potential deals, those with sports brands promised the most significant earnings. In the world of sportswear, only a few brands could be considered global leaders, with Adidas and Nike being the most famous. These two were fierce competitors in the football world, with a long history of rivalry.

However, when it came to Bruno's endorsement, they weren't the main actors initially. The first to notice Bruno wasn't Adidas or Nike but Udinese's jersey sponsor, HS Football. Founded in 2011, HS Football, a young sports brand with the motto "only for football," had signed a five-year jersey sponsorship deal with Udinese as one of their first such contracts.

Being geographically closer gave HS Football the initial advantage. However, upon Mendes's advice, considering the brand's limited market reach, Bruno did not immediately agree to their endorsement offer.

As Bruno's performance continued to attract attention, industry giants like Adidas, Nike, and Puma naturally took notice. Initially, Mendes hoped to incite a fierce bidding war among them, expecting Bruno and himself to benefit from the fallout. However, these companies weren't easily manipulated by an agent.

Each company conducted a comprehensive assessment of new talents, evaluating their current capabilities and predicting their future potential. This assessment determined the commercial value each athlete could bring to the brand and how much the company was willing to invest.

Unlike scenarios where a star player is poached from a rival, signing young talents felt more like gambling for these giants. A win meant a jackpot, a loss was not too damaging, and they could afford the risk, though it could be frustrating.

For Bruno, these brands conducted their assessments. His remarkable debut season performance was evident, attracting Adidas, Nike, and Puma. Media and fans might cheer for Bruno every week, but the professional teams at these companies remained detached, analyzing him critically.

While Bruno excelled on the field, his drawbacks were also clear: he was not very social, and his physical appearance was not particularly striking. These traits were ideal from a team's perspective but problematic for sports brands, indicating limited commercial potential.

The three brands believed in Bruno's potential in football but were skeptical about his commercial value, which reflected in the less enthusiastic offers they made, failing to match Mendes's expectations for Bruno.

As the big brands hesitated, a surprising player emerged: the Spanish fashion and sports brand JOMA. This opportunity arose directly from Udinese's dissatisfaction with their current jersey sponsor, HS Football, particularly after achieving a historic double with the Italian Cup and the Europa League. With only two years left in their contract with HS Football and seeking better terms, Udinese was keen on a new deal but faced reluctance from HS Football, who didn't want to renew under increased financial demands.

Failing to agree, Udinese quickly found a willing partner in JOMA, eager to expand its market presence. Starting from the new season, JOMA would replace HS Football as Udinese's jersey sponsor. Seeing greater potential in Bruno, JOMA approached Mendes with a significantly better offer than the big three, showing considerable sincerity.

This development presented Bruno and Mendes with a new decision to make. After careful analysis, they weighed the pros and cons of partnering with each brand.

Choosing a sponsor, like choosing a club, often boiled down to prestige versus opportunity. Most would opt for prestige, joining a top club despite potential downsides like less playtime and greater pressure, simply because of the allure and financial benefits of being associated with a leading brand.

For Bruno, choosing Udinese had been about seizing the best opportunity for career growth, not just joining a top club for the sake of prestige. His experience over the past season validated his decision.