Brett’s Brand: Too Favre Gone?

So, Brett Favre caught his Jet out of Green Bay. This chapter of the Favre soap opera is closed. He’ll be back in action next month, albeit in a new town and a new uniform.

Oh, and another thing that’ll never be the same: the Brett Favre brand.

Plenty of professional-sports pundits are speculating about what the move to New York will mean to Favre’s legacy in the game. But as marketers, we’re more interested in how it will affect his reputation off the field.

As good as No. 4’s career numbers have been in some respects, Favre owes as much of his popularity to the public perception (with a big tip of the cap to mainstream media) that he’s a hard-working everyman with a flair for drama. Just not the kind of drama he created by deciding to “unretire” last month.

Significant damage has already been done to his legend, according to this Wisconsin poll. After all, a real regular guy could never get away with the presumptuous behavior he’s exhibited over the past few weeks.

Granted, Favre isn’t likely losing any sleep over his brand’s declining value. But as we counsel our clients, he really should be concerned about his rep. He’s got a brand, whether he wants one or not. If he doesn’t shape it, it’ll be shaped for him. For example, I’m sure there are plenty more (and more critical) blogs about this saga.

Time will tell if the down-home hero persona he worked so many years to establish will still hold water, now that he’s taken his ball and fled east.