The Value of A Pretty Face

The Olympics always spawns new celebrities who spin their athletic prowess into gold by endorsing a variety of products. I can remember back to 1984 when winning gymnast Mary Lou Retton's image appeared on a box of Wheaties, then dubbed "the breakfast of champions." The subliminal message made sense: eat this cereal and grow up healthy and strong and you too can be an Olympic superstar! 

An après-ski moment?

Those innocent days are gone. Today's athletes hawk anything and everything, and  often the products have nothing to do with their particular skills. Swimmer Michael Phelps, winner of 28 Olympic medals, began by hawking Speedo bathing suits. Okay, I got that. But then he went on to appear in ads for Subway, Visa and AT&T, none of which have anything to do with swimming, or even getting wet.

This morning I read about one that really takes the cake. (Yes it's a cliche and you're not supposed to use those but really, this one does.) Eileen Gu, the 18-year-old American-born, half-Chinese skier who is competing for China in the games, to much consternation among those people who care about such things, is suddenly awash in endorsement offers. In China her image is ubiquitous, plastered on enormous billboards and in subways, elevators, airports and supermarkets. Her New York agent has declined to divulge the dollar amount she is making from all of it, saying only that she is "an absolute superstar." 

Is she in demand because she's such a great skier? Hardly. It's because she happens to be beautiful, and a pretty face always makes money if the person possessing it opts to do so. Fine, Eileen -- rake in the big bucks while you can. But how can a teenager be  a "brand ambassador" for house paint, home appliances, Tiffany jewelry, cars, mobile apps, insurance, banking and perhaps the weirdest of all, Kohler faucets and bathroom fixtures? At the age of 18, has she renovated many homes? What does she know about kitchen faucets? The company says they chose her because of her "bold spirit." She says she's careful who she works with and chose Kohler because the company "is on the same moral level" as her. Huh?

Coming soon  to a cereal box near you?

Meanwhile, 29-year-old speed-skater Erin Jackson, the first black woman to win gold in an individual sport at the Winter games in any country, has not gotten the same treatment. Strong and athletic, she's no Helen of Troy if you get my meaning. But it's early, I suppose she could still end up on a cereal box.