Mbappé gets serious about image rights

Kylian Mbappé has jumped back to the fore because he has refused, in the concentration of the France team, to comply with a marketing operation of the Federation. Although it has come as a surprise, the truth is that, according to Le Parisien, this issue is not new. The player is aware of certain social causes and has a series of beliefs that make him not want to be associated with certain brands. Some time ago, he told the national team that he wanted to manage his image at the level of marketing and publicity and that he did not want to link his figure and status to the brands that were required of him. This is also a fundamental commandment for him when it comes to being in a club. PSG is willing to give in to his conditions to renew his contract. This is not a trivial topic. Sponsorships usually give a significant amount to entities, among other things, for campaigning with the most media players. The French star, on the other hand, refuses to participate, which may be an economic injury for the Federation, in this case, or for the teams where he plays.

Always according to information from Le Parisien, the players sign a contract before their international debut by which they agree to be part of the team’s marketing campaigns, albeit collectively and not individually. He even figures in 25,000 the income that he gets even if it is a simple spot of each brand. Mbappé, at that time more of a child and without the convictions that he now carries with him, signed, just as the rest of his teammates did. In this way, throughout these years, he has yielded to his ideals to participate in certain campaigns, with which, to this day, he does not want to be associated. When he put himself in the hands of the prestigious lawyer Delphine Verheyden, it went to the French federation and asked them to review and improve said contract because it was not on the agenda. Once he made that first warning, he added that if he did not respond affirmatively to his proposal, the player would stop fulfilling that obligation.

And so it happened. This week, Mbappé has refused to participate in advertising campaigns in France. Verheyden again warned France of a review of the contract in question and there was no effective response. This conversation occurred with the general manager and not directly with Le Graët. The president was perplexed to find Kylian’s refusal and politely called him to his office for an explanation. The PSG player gave it to him and reaffirmed that it is not a rebellion, but an idea that he had been thinking about for a long time and that he had already made known to other federation leaders. Le Parisien tells that Mbappé does not play with his country for money, to the point of having donated all his earnings of trophies and publicity to charitable associations since it debuted in 2017.

But why does Mbappé refuse to advertise? Everything is based on a question of ideals. The one wanted by Real Madrid wants to control his public image to the maximum and only be he who chooses which brands are linked to his figure. It has come to reject dizzying figures, above ten million euros, just because it is not related to certain products. Without going into specific cases, the striker does not want to be associated with bookmakers, junk food companies or unhealthy drinks. As a sign of the importance of the matter, Le Parisien indicates the specific name of a brand with which Mbappé does not want to be associated and that same brand is also a sponsor of Real Madrid. Moreover, for him this matter is not negotiable: he wants to control one hundred percent of his image rights and, furthermore, carefully choose those campaigns that he and only he will associate with himself.

For France this is a major problem. The prestigious French media tells how the main sponsors of the ‘blues’ have signed by contract what is called the right to the collective image. This is that a brand can select the five players they want to do a small campaign at a specific time. Of course, for profitability, fame and football level, Mbappé is the most demanded. Behind him, Paul Pogba and Antoine Griezmann arrive. That is another of the reasons why the star and Delphine Verheyden, a person of his utmost confidence, returned to reflect on this matter. Of course, he will always be the one on the front lines. Therefore, he is not worth everything, but he will not be selective either. The decision will have to be yours alone.

Le Graët does not want to make a mountain out of a grain of sand. Of course, This will deprive him of certain privileges that the Federation had been obtaining for some time.. At least, a priori. But Le Parisien reports that the president has understood his best player perfectly and understands that due to his position and the enormous impact he has on society, he will not accept anything. Even so, he hopes to meet with the player in the coming days to close this matter. There are sponsors who are really angry, not only because of their occasional absence, but also because of their attitude towards the subject. In France, they look at it differently: you have to take care of the talented footballer and, in addition, they will not always lose him. At the beginning of the week, Mbappé already participated in the Clairefontaine rally, with a vehicle from one of the team’s main advertisers. He was delighted, he was seen to enjoy himself and did not make any negative comments about the act in question. That is, he refuses to do all advertising, but not advertising itself.

And this, does it affect your future?

In short, a football team lives on sponsorships, television income and the public in its stadiums. Advertisers account for a significant percentage of the money that reaches a club each year and allows it to survive. Paris Saint Germain knows very well what Mbappé’s ideas are. In 2017, when he signed, he had not yet forged that critical thinking. So, he gave most of his image rights to the club. Over the years, he has been changing his position and now the entity consults him before making a decision in this regard. Facing the new signing of the contract, the French international wants to erase his old mentality from the map and become the only one who controls his image rights and advertising campaigns. PSG is ready to give in, just as he has done this summer with Leo Messi. It remains to be seen what position Madrid adopts on this issue. The white club usually asks all its members to give them an important part of their rights, an essential requirement. In fact, the most natural thing is that they share entity and player 50%. It is unknown if this relevant matter has been discussed in depth in the dialogues that both parties have had.