Dive Brief:
- Denver Bronco quarterback Peyton Manning’s corporate sponsors remain supportive after allegations he received shipments of performance enhancing drug HGH.
- Pizza restaurant Papa John’s offered support for Manning and insurance company Nationwide is “monitoring the situation” according to reports. DirecTV did not comment after a request from Adweek.
- Manning’s employer, the Denver Broncos NFL club, also released a statement offering “100 percent” support.
Dive Insight:
For companies, it is always a gamble to bring on famous pitchmen for their campaigns. Sometimes it proves a risk well-worth taking, and at others, it can turn into a complete disaster.
In the case of Peyton Manning, his ad partners are demonstrating that amid doping allegations, they are not ready to turn their back on the Super Bowl-winning quarterback.
"We've been made aware of the recent Al Jazeera report concerning Peyton Manning and find it utterly ridiculous. We are thoroughly familiar with Peyton's tireless work habits, his medical history, and, most importantly, his integrity,” the Broncos added in the statement.
Peter Collins, senior director of PR for Papa John’s, said in a statement "Papa John’s is aware of the speculation. During the course of our relationship, [Manning] has represented himself, the game of football, and Papa John’s with the utmost honor and integrity. Furthermore, he has been a trusted friend. It is a shame for all his hard work, to have one of the greatest comebacks against all odds, that he has to deal with these allegations."
Adweek reached out two other Manning sponsors, Nationwide Insurance and DirecTV, but neither responded to the request although there are reports that Nationwide is “monitoring the situation.”