• by Karl Greenberg , April 23, 2007

Coty Inc. has signed a deal with NFL player Tom Brady to be the face of Stetson, a men's cologne.

Brady, quarterback for the New England Patriots, has signed on to be the new official Stetson spokesperson and appear in a new advertising campaign. Stetson is one of the top-selling men's fragrances in the marketplace. The classic brand includes Stetson Black, Stetson Cologne, Stetson Sierra, and Stetson Untamed. The two-and-a-half-year contract begins with a print and TV campaign in September.

Steve Mormoris, senior vice president/Global Marketing, Coty Beauty, says the target audience is men who buy fragrances and women who buy fragrances for men.

He adds that the television spots will feature Brady driving a vintage Mustang convertible in pursuit of his cowboy hat, which has been blown off by the wind. Alongside the convertible is a galloping thoroughbred racehorse. "Coty will work on media buys around sports programming, including the NFL, to appeal to men," he says, adding that New York-based Laird and Partners handles creative duties on Stetson.

Mormoris also says aspects of Brady's association with Stetson beyond the ads haven't been worked out, but that "Tom Brady is very eager to be an involved spokesperson for Stetson."

"The mass market is growing for male fragrances about 3 percent per year in value," says Mormoris. "It is competitive with fragrances from prestige brands, but they are perceived as too expensive. There is a growth in lower-priced male fragrances such as BodMan [body mist], Old Spice and Axe with masculine, virile imagery. Stetson is a leader in this category."

Actor Matthew McConaughey was the previous spokesperson for Stetson, which launched in 1983. "Brady was chosen because he has broader appeal beyond the Western roots of the brand," he says, "and will appeal to men of all cultural origins in the U.S., while conforming to the values of ruggedness, masculinity and strength that the Stetson brand personifies."