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International tennis sensation Maria Sharapova celebrates the one year anniversary of Sugarpova by launching “Sugarpova Accessory Collection” exclusively at Henri Bendel on August 20, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Henri Bendel)
Just hours ago, Maria Sharapova’s agent Max Eisenbud confirmed to ESPN that after “serious consideration”, Sharapova won’t be changing her surname to Sugarpova for the duration of her stay at the upcoming US Open.
With this news, Sharapova and her team might have balanced the stir created by the staggering speculation on this unique marketing strategy, but they might have also trumped and bettered that speculated strategy. She was successful in getting everybody’s attention with the shocking news. After all, changing one’s surname, even for just two weeks, seems a monumental task if passports and other identification-related entities are considered. But just with that speculation, her product has received plenty of recognition.
What seemed shocking, funny and smart, all at the same time, has been put to rest for now. I mean, imagine the chair umpire announcing “30-15 Sugarpova” or “Miss Sugarpova has 2 challenges remaining”. In tennis, having surnames that might seem strange to many people is not an extraordinary event. But for somebody like Sharapova , who for one, has a pronounceable name and has been so very famous and is noticed for her presence on the court, that name change would have left a big impression on a lot of people. In any scenario, she would have had everybody’s attention.
Sport is a leisure activity meant for our entertainment when presented on a grander stage. And hence, each of the players are a brand in themselves. To build and maintain that brand, it takes a lot of work on one’s appearance in either getting oneself to stand out from the others. And that is what we notice most people doing – with the kit they carry or the clothes they wear or the way they tie their hair or work on their face. Some are just simply famous for the way they play. But rarely have you ever heard of anybody trying to change or play with their name.
The social media buzz that the news triggered has been unsurprisingly astounding. And it’s a bit hard to get the name out of your head now without letting out a little chuckle at the frenzy it might have created live in the stadiums. But what it’s also done is an awareness of the product she’s endorsing, which is Sugarpova, a premium line of candies and gum, whose flavours include ‘Flirty’, ‘Smitten Sour’, ‘Splashy’ and ‘Sassy’.
This advertising stint might have also distracted some from her split with coach Jimmy Connors, and might have created a supernova out of Sugarpova, and I won’t bet against the possibility of its striking red lips logo being imprinted on her attire at the US Open.
