by Oscar A. Gomez Jr.
Even a crude SMS gag can’t capture the assortment of campaigns revolving around Manny Pacquiao. The sports hero has been pitching everything, from French fries and sing-along mics to socks and pills for derby cocks.
Not surprisingly, the Bureau of Internal Revenue was also hot on his trail—but not for dodging every tax obligations. The agency nabbed “Pacman” as its talking head for a new collection drive. Advertisers are after him because, simply put, Manny sells. In an endorsement milestone, Pacquiao wrapped up a global campaign for US shoe and apparel giant Nike last year. The 60-second spot cast him together with superstars Kobe Bryant, Roger Federer, Ronaldhino and Maria Sharapova.
It also left a little doubt who was boxing’s top gun.
The 30-year-old phenom in on the verge: of greatness, a political career, and a marketing whirlwind guaranteed to spin cash way beyond his heyday. At least, Pacquiao can retire on his monster deal with San Miguel Corporation that will pay him for long after he hangs up his gloves.
He commands $12 million everytime he climbs the ring. Pacquiao may not make as much yet from flogging brands—endorsements netted him lower that $2 million last year—but no worries there because Pacquiao Inc. has another serious money gusher: the sale of Philippine broadcast rights, from which the boxer rakes in more than a million dollars per fight.
Since 2003, a dozen Pacquiao slugfests have been dealt the Solar Sports (ABS-CBN Sports, on the other hand, picked up three fights in Araneta Coliseum). To recover its steep investment, Solar beams to fights on multiple platforms—free-to-air TV, its own cable channel, a closed-circuit feed to cinemas, and pay-per-view linkups to bars and living rooms.
Ever the diplomat. The latest addition to Pacquiao’s arsenal is something not just anybody can wield: influence. This year, both Time and Forbes recognized the growing impact of his feats, wealth and international celebrity.
“He has charisma and he’s personable. Obviously the masses love him, but the upper classes acorss genders like him too,” Solar Sports’ Marketing Chief Jude Turcuato observes.
These are the very qualities that create a cult following. Boxing during the Seventies and Eighties, in particular, carried glamorous and marketable names like Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Leonard. They were brilliant showmen as they were also brash, loud, wild and cash-mad.
To marketers, Pacquiao is a dream. Not just an incredible athlete, he’s also young and approachable, although he somewhat breaks from the usual mold. An electrifying machine between the ropes, he morphs into a quiet and reserved man out of the ring. Ever the diplomat, he’s a consummate sportsman who never has a bad word to say about his opponents. While seemingly made of steel, he has a soft touch, especially for ordinary folk. Pacquiao’s humility stems from someone who grew up in abject poverty. Indeed, he’s been so generous in supporting charitable projects that Manny might just give away everything that he has earned.
Pacquiao can launch wild celebrations among devoted Filipino fans, who don’t mind that he’s not as flamboyant as the other greats.
“The requirements of our own culture are different,” Solar’s Turcuato suggests. “It’s a big sell to Pinoys if you can relate to the poor and own a rags-to-riches story.”
Roberto Claudio, founder of Toby’s Sports retail chain, believes the Pacquiao mystique is rooted in his own down-to-earth ways.
“Fans can deal with the fact that he doesn’t talk a lot. They have no problem with the broken English. They know it comes from the heart,” Claudio says, “so whatever Manny says, because of what he’s proven, people will believe.”
HBO boxing analyst Larry Merchant expects Pacquiao to inherit the mantle of De la Hoya, a wildly popular fighter up to his retirement year.
The Golden Boy could pull the boxing fans, non-fans and ex-fans alike. Pacquiao proved against De la Hoya last December that he is a thrilling, relentless puncher. His victory probably made him the next De la Hoya, that singular fighter who could transform a boxing match into a sports happening.
While thriving on his natural gifts, Pacquiao also gets credits for taking the bold gambits that have super-sized his career namely:
He follows the money. Entering his prime at 28, Pacquiao focused on big-money fights in the axis of boxing, Las Vegas, where he shines in its bright lights and headlines against titans of the sports.
The bigger his opponents, the better. Few believed Pacquiao’s power punches would carry the same sting against opponents of superior sizes. In his last three fights, however, Pacquiao scored big upsets against bigger men, audacious David and Goliath acts that burnished his Hall of Fame status.
He courts the pay-per view bonanza. “Pay-per-view distribution confers special status on a bout,” says the Wall Street Journal.
Like blockbuster films, pay-per-view fights have the biggest hype and promises of satisfaction. Pacquiao shows astonishing pay-per-view strength in Filipino communities in Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego, says Mark Taffet, a senior vice president of HBO Sports, which previously roe De la Hoya’s support in Latino communities and crossover appeal.
“Like Oscar, Manny has shown tremendous growth in all demographics and markets,” adds Taffet.
He runs the show. Inspired by De la Hoya’s success with Golden Boy Promotions, Pacquiao abandoned the safety net of US-style management in favor if running his own affairs since 2007. He has formed an experienced, Filipino-led team of marketing, legal and sports advisers. Opting out of three successive American managers has improved his take-home pay as well. Only one Canadian matchmaker, Michael Koncz, is retained to handle his stateside affairs.
“Manny tends to be underrated in his analytical and business skills,” says Turcuato. “I know him to be an avid card player and he likes to challenge anyone to a game of chess, so I can’t say that I’m surprised.”
He also says Pacquiao has sat on the negotiating table many times with boxing’s toughest-talking dealmakers.
He rebounds fast from mistakes and poor judgment. Pacquiao hasn’t been spared the occasional hubris afflicting many superstar athletes. They’ve brought him legal troubles and embarrassments.
One infamous lawsuit erupted when he mindlessly signed with both Golden Boy and Top Rank, only to dump Golden Boy later and return a $500,000 advance. Amid training for his Hatton bout, he announced out of the blue that he was defecting to ABS-CBN despite the iron clad contracts with both Solar and GMA-7. (Staring at a rash of lawsuit threats, he sheepishly rescinded the ABS-CBN deal.)
Pacquiao is nothing if not resilient. It helps that despite his scandalous follies, the public has been quick to forgive. Even those he rubs the wrong way (including the executives of GMA, Solar and Golden Boy) cut him much slack. The man, after all, quenches an entire nation’s thirst for a genuine sports hero.
He is unlikely to wither fast unlike other flash-in-the-pan boxers, golfers, bowlers, and billiard players. Comparison abound between Pacquiao and past legends—notably basketball player-coach and former senator Robert Jaworski and triple World Cup bowling champion Rafael Nepomuceno.
“Maybe it’s Jaworski who comes closest in popularity,” says Solar’s Turcuato. “But Ginebra championship game couldn’t stop the country the way Pacquiao does. People who don’t care about boxing or even sports know his name, in the way they know Michael Jordan or Tiger Woods.”
Claudio of Toby’s could only agree. “He’s our most popular personality across all segments. Not just sports.”
This article was first published in the July-August 2009 issue of adobo magazine with award-winning director, Brillante Mendoza on the cover.
