The entire UK it seems has shut down - deserted streets, empty buses and packed pubs - everyone seems to be watching David Beckham and his boys struggle to beat the puny Trinidad and Tobago.
Soccer antics aside, one of the most recognized sports stars in the world, Beckham signed an exclusive deal with Motorola to promote its phones worldwide. Forbes magazine estimates that Beckham makes about $32 million a year.
As part of this deal, a portion of profits from the Motorola’s red-hot, Moto Red phone will go to The Global Fund, a charity that provides financial support for the fight against AIDS in Africa.
Ironically, it seems he is quite fascinated with a new phone from HTC, called the Star Trk phone. According to The Inquirer, “company was astonished when Beck’s entourage phoned them a few days later to request a pink version.”
“He can’t be seen using one,” came the reply. “Because of the new deal he has with Motorola.”
The Inquirer doesn’t specifically say that it is HTC which got the call the call, but a story on The Register featured a pink Star Trk phone. Putting two and two together… Okay maybe it is for Posh (Spice!)
8 comments so far
10:51 AM PT
Om, great fun reading your UK travels. speaking of phones, check out Junko Yoshida’s reporter’s notebook from the Brazil game the other night…
we still have a ways to go…
(link)
cheers, bf
12:20 PM PT
Yep, England struggled to get past Trinidad and Tobago; a country with one millions plus people. Go Soca Warriors! Maybe Motorola will venture into that country too.
1:38 PM PT
Wow Om, not only do we get a new entrepreneur but we get color pics now on GigaOm-nice.
5:07 PM PT
I wonder how the marketing department weighed up the pros and cons of Beckham.
Pro - very big on design and looks.
Cons - not particularly smart, nor reliable (his penalty kick).
Endorsements don’t always work.
We’re currently considering signing on someone from Trinidada and Tobago. It will be cheaper (we don’t have 32m) and it’s real grass roots (thanks Scobie).
:)
8:07 PM PT
The Red Phone looks HOT, too bad it’s only in the UK.
I don’t get how England struggled to get by T/T. I mean, they won 2-0 and, in the world of soccer, that’s a pretty decisive victory.
9:08 AM PT
(link) J8&mode=suggestedsome&search=
12:48 PM PT
I think the less said about Beckham’s phone antics the better ;-)
11:03 AM PT
The world cup, despite being a world competition, is comprised of professionals who play in the cream of the world’s teams in the premiership, Bundesleague etc, so size of country they’re representing can be misleading.