The Manning Machine

Archie Manning has two sons in the NFL, Peyton and Eli. Both are starting quarterbacks and are arguably two of the better talents in the entire league. Peyton threw for more touchdowns than any other player in 2004-05 (49). Eli threw for more yards than his brother in 2005-06.

While the Manning family's on-field accomplishments are well documented, their off-field endorsements should not be overlooked. The Manning family has become a virtual advertising agency. One could not watch a football game this past weekend without seeing, Eli, Payton, Archie, or some combination of the three during the commercial breaks. It was borderline obscene how many times I had to see Peyton in a Gatorade, Mastercard, or DirecTV commercial.

The popularity of the Manning family among advertisers is undeniable. They are good role models and fantastic athletes. But do they drive product sales? Will Gatorade sell more sports drink because of a perceived tie to Peyton Manning? Will DirecTV see more users convert from cable because of Manning's affiliation with the brand? Both questions are highly debatable, particularly because both brands have such a strong tie to the NFL already.

No matter what your opinion on the value of the celebrity endorsement, they are here to stay. Here are some other recent deals worth highlighting:

Derek Jeter has deals with Movado, Ford, Nike, and Gatorade
Maria Sharapova signed a $25 million dollar deal with Prince
LeBron James signed a $90 million dollar deal with Nike in his rookie season when he made $4.02 million to actually play.