NFL star Travis Kelce's romance with musician Taylor Swift could be a win for brand partners in terms of endorsements and deals.
What Happened: A new Morning Consult poll shows that awareness and favorability for the Kansas City Chiefs tight end have increased over the last year. This is due - in part - to his association with Swift.
Per the survey, 63% of adults said they were aware of who Kelce was, compared to 38% in August 2022. And 34% said they had a very or somewhat favorable opinion of Kelce, compared to 24% in August 2022.
The gains of 25 points and 10 points could be a positive for media companies like Comcast Corporation
Swift's appearance at the event helped draw an average of 27 million viewers, with a peak of 29 million viewers. It was the most watched Sunday broadcast since Super Bowl LVII.
Other Winners: Sportsbooks and media companies are among the potential winners in the increased attention for the Chiefs and Kelce.
Brands that Kelce endorses may also benefit.
A report from iSpot.tv, shared by Sportico, says $21.2 million has been spent on ads starring Kelce for the 2023 NFL season. Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is also popular for TV ads with $34.8 million spent on commercials with him.
Together, the ads with Kelce and Mahomes represent $53.1 million in spending by companies, or around 6.4% of all NFL commercial spending to date for the 2023 season.
Among the companies that feature Kelce in ads are:
- Experian
(EXPGY ) - State Farm Insurance
- Pfizer
(PFE ) - Campbell Soup Company
(CPB ) - Lowe's Companies
(LOW ) - DirecTV, a majority owned unit of AT&T Inc
(T )
While Kelce was already popular with brands and the Chiefs were a favorite to win back-to-back Super Bowls in the 2023 season, there is no doubt that a relationship with Swift and increased attention doesn't stand to benefit the NFL player and potentially the brands he works with.