Adidas’ choice to add NWSL Washington Spirit F Trinity Rodman into the brand’s flagship FIFA World Cup ad -- Backyard Legends -- “speaks to Rodman’s place in American soccer today and highlights the unique position women’s soccer occupies here,” according to Asli Pelit of THE ATHLETIC. The World Cup spot featured “soccer royalty,” including England MF Jude Bellingham and Spain F Lamine Yamal. In the ad, actor Timothée Chalamet “assembles a three-a-side team to take on a mythical street-soccer trio in a fictional city.” Pelit writes Rodman and her “Triple Espresso” USWNT teammates (Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson) perform in front of American audiences every week with their NWSL clubs, and their “success happens in stadiums across the country, creating a level of connection and familiarity with fans.” During the men’s World Cup on U.S. soil, Adidas is “not the only company that tapped Rodman.” She appears in marketing for State Farm, Sam’s Club, Dick’s Sporting Goods and Dove Men+Care. Rodman is “not yet” like former soccer player and Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham, but the fact that league execs “felt compelled to create greater roster flexibility to retain a player of her stature in the face of lucrative opportunities in Europe and would-be domestic rivals speaks to her importance.” Pelit: “The phenomenon reflects years of groundwork laid by women athletes who were forced to become marketers long before most male athletes needed to” (THE ATHLETIC, 6/17).
Brands bet big on Trinity Rodman’s star power during FIFA World Cup
