International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship

Mary Ann to her Ginger: comparing the extended brand identity of two elite
female athletes
Jami Lobpries, Gregg Bennett, Natasha Brison,
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Jami Lobpries, Gregg Bennett, Natasha Brison, (2017) "Mary Ann to her Ginger: comparing the
extended brand identity of two elite female athletes", International Journal of Sports Marketing and
Sponsorship, Vol. 18 Issue: 4, pp.347-362, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-05-2016-0028
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Brand identity
Mary Ann to her Ginger: of two elite
comparing the extended brand female athletes

identity of two elite female athletes

Jami Lobpries 347
United States Specialty Sports Association, Viera, Florida, USA, and
Received 30 May 2016
Gregg Bennett and Natasha Brison Revised 26 August 2016
Accepted 6 September 2016
Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA

Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to compare the extended brand identities of two elite female athletes.
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Specifically, this exploratory case study assessed the extended brand identities of Jennie Finch and Cat
Osterman, two iconic female softball athlete brands.
Design/methodology/approach – Through the qualitative analysis of individual in-depth, semi-structured
interviews, various documents, and social media, data revealed themes associated with positioning,
personality, and presentation of the female athlete brands.
Findings – Theoretically, the themes provide empirical support for existing brand identity frameworks.
Practical implications – Practically, findings provide evidence for defining an athlete’s extended brand
identity that can serve as the foundation for branding efforts that generate long-term value during and after
their sport careers.
Originality/value – This case study adds to the extant literature on athlete branding and offers practical
content for marketers seeking to brand female athletes.
Keywords Case study, Sports marketing, Athlete branding, Extended brand identity, Human branding
Paper type Case study

Executive summary
According to Farhana (2014), the creation of a brand identity is foundational to brand
management, brand building, and the marketing communication activities by a firm.
Yet, there is a paucity of original research assessing athlete brand building and the role of
extended brand identity among athletes. Further, the limited extant athlete branding
research has focused almost entirely on male athletes, thereby creating a significant gap of
knowledge regarding the female athlete as a brand. Therefore, the purpose of this
investigation was to compare and contrast the extended brand identities of two elite female
athletes. Specifically, this interpretive, comparative case study (Stake, 2005) assessed
the extended brand identities of Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman, two of the most iconic
athlete brands in the sport of softball. While frameworks assessing brand identity exist,
extended brand identity constructs from Harris and de Chernatony’s (2001) brand identity
model were utilized for this investigation. Based on the purpose of exploring female athletes’
extended brand identity, this investigation utilized an interpretive, comparative case study
(Yin, 2003) approach to contrast the brand identities of Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman.
Data were collected via: individual in-depth, semi-structured interviews with Jennie
Finch and Cat Osterman and their agents; and documents including social media platforms
of both athletes and Jennie Finch’s autobiography. From the comparative analysis of the two
athlete brands, we identified three themes describing the extended brand identity of the
two athletes within categories from Harris and de Chernatony’s (2001) model. Those themes
are identified as: [positioning] “anti-hero vs girl next door;” [personality] “She’s Mary Ann to International Journal of Sports
Marketing and Sponsorship
her Ginger;” and [presentation] “ribbons and bows vs the name and the game.” Vol. 18 No. 4, 2017
pp. 347-362
In comparing how the two brands have positioned themselves, emerging data revealed a © Emerald Publishing Limited
1464-6668
distinct contrast between the athletes. Finch has clearly positioned herself based upon her DOI 10.1108/IJSMS-05-2016-0028
 IJSMS artifacts and core values. In contrast, Osterman revealed that she was comfortable being the
18,4 antagonist, or anti-hero, to the Finch girl next door image. Data reveal great personality
differences between these two athlete brands. As Osterman described her brand, she stated
her brand is edgy, serious, and completely athletic. Other personality traits like assertive,
focused, intense, and competitive emerged from the data. In contrast, data best informs
Finch as wholesome, successful, and charming (Carlson and Donavan, 2013). Results
348 indicate Finch referred to tangible, exterior features of her brand such as accessories she
wore that reflected who she was as part of her brand identity presentation strategy.
In contrast, Osterman was much more interested in strategy surrounding how her brand
was positioned and presented. The themes from the findings provide empirical support for
de Chernatony’s (2001) brand identity framework in the context of athlete and human
brands, as both Finch and Osterman’s extended brand identities accurately portrayed their
brand’s positioning (de Chernatony, 1999), expressed the athletes’ brand personality
(Kapferer, 2004), and described how the athletes present their brand positions and
personality as brand differentiators (de Chernatony, 1999).
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1. Introduction
Though athlete branding has been evident in the sport industry for decades (e.g. the Jordan
brand), research assessing the phenomenon in management, marketing and sport literature
has only recently emerged (Arai et al., 2013, 2014; Carlson and Donavan, 2013; Chadwick
and Burton, 2008; Kristiansen and Williams, 2015; Parmentier and Fischer, 2012; Pegoraro
and Jinnah, 2012; Pokrywczynski and Brinker, 2012). The majority of athlete branding
literature to date revolves around consumers’ perception of brand image (Arai et al., 2013,
2014; Carlson and Donavan, 2013), case studies from secondary analysis (Parmentier and
Fischer, 2012; Pegoraro and Jinnah, 2012), and athlete brand management (Ballouli and
Hutchinson, 2012). While these studies have built a base of knowledge, literature analyzing
specific athlete branding processes and how these methods affect the management and
marketing of athletes remains limited.
According to Farhana (2014), the creation of a brand identity is foundational to brand
management, including brand building and the marketing communication activities by
the firm. Brand identity consists of the six components: vision and culture, positioning,
personality, relationships, presentation, and reputation (Harris and de Chernatony, 2001).
Each aspect influences the others but the core aspect of vision and culture influences the
firm’s desired positioning, personality, and subsequent relationships with consumers
(or fans). A brand identity is comprised of core attributes, including traits, core values
and artifacts, which remain constant over time, and an extended identity organized
into clusters based on brand personality, relationship, and symbolic associations
(Ghodeswar, 2008).
Brand identity has received considerable research interest from scholars over the past
couple of decades (Coleman et al., 2011). This research suggests brands that effectively
present a distinct identity: create marketplace preference (Bengtsson and Servais, 2005),
command higher spending from target markets (Ohnemus, 2009; Schmitt and Simonson,
1997), foster trust with and loyalty among consumers (Ghodeswar, 2008; Persson, 2010), aid
consumer identification with the brand (Baumgarth and Schmidt, 2010), positively affect
consumers’ view of the brand quality (Cretu and Brodie, 2007), increase sales (Glynn, 2010;
Low and Blois, 2002), and facilitate differentiation of the brand from competitors
(Ghodeswar, 2008). Brand identity creation and management are critically important to any
brand, including athlete brands, because the onus is on the firm to create a strong and clear
brand identity (Hatch, 2012; Kotler and Keller, 2008; Wong, 2013). The advent of firms
focused solely on managing human brands is indicative of the importance current business
practice places on this phenomenon (Thomson, 2006).
 Yet, there is a paucity of original research assessing athlete brand building and the role Brand identity
of brand identity creation among athletes. The investigation of specific athlete brand of two elite
identity facets is arguably non-existent to date. This includes assessments of core identities female athletes
and extended identities of the athlete brand. Therefore, assessing brand identity is an
important and fertile area of investigative need for scholars and practitioners alike. Further,
the limited extant athlete branding research has focused almost entirely on male athletes,
thereby creating a significant gap of knowledge regarding the female athlete as a brand. 349
Therefore, the purpose of this investigation was to compare and contrast the extended
brand identities of two elite female athletes. Specifically, this comparative case study
(Stake, 2005) assessed the brand identities of Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman, who were
members of Team USA in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics. Both athletes have been touted
by experts as two of the most iconic athlete brands in the sport of softball (Kendrick, 2016).
Although softball was eliminated from the 2012 Summer Olympics, it has remained a popular
sport in over 120 countries across the globe (International Softball Federation, 2016).
Given softball’s global appeal, an examination of two of its most notable female players
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is suitable for this inquiry. While frameworks assessing brand identity exist, extended
brand identity constructs from Harris and de Chernatony’s (2001) brand identity model were
utilized for this investigation. An aim of this research was to add to extant literature on
human brands. The authors likewise sought to provide foundational understanding of
athlete brand identity creation and management, in general, for female athletes.
Another aim was to extend brand identity theory, namely, extended brand identity,
within this context and thereby influence industry practice as it is related to the
aforementioned phenomena.

2. Relevant literature
2.1 Brand identity
Brand identity has been defined by several scholars in myriad ways (Aaker, 1996; Aaker
and Joachimsthaler, 2000; de Chernatony, 2001; Hatch and Schultz, 2000; Kapferer, 2004).
For instance, Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000) operationalized brand identity as a brand’s
unique set of associations which resonate with consumers, differentiate the brand from
competitors, and deliver a lasting promise to consumers. Identity has also been seen as the
reference point for a brand and critical for building relationships with consumers who find
the identity of the brand appealing (Alsem and Kostelijk, 2008).
It is important to note that the viewpoint consumers and external stakeholders hold of
the brand is brand image rather than brand identity. For instance, most scholars have
suggested that brand image is typically understood more from external stakeholders (i.e. the
consumer) while brand identity resonates from internal forces (i.e. the firm or athlete)
(Coleman et al., 2015; Harris and de Chernatony, 2001; Kapferer, 2008). Brand identity is the
strategic, core aspect of brand creation describing what the brand is and why it exists;
while, the more tactical brand image construct describes how consumers ( fans) perceive the
brand (Bibby, 2011; Parent and Seǵ uin, 2008; Pusa and Uusitalo, 2014).
An initial step in human or athlete branding is to establish a brand identity which
differentiates individuals from others and then actively communicates and positions one’s
brand identity to a specific target market (Ghodeswar, 2008; Kotler and Keller, 2008;
Lair et al., 2005; Shepherd, 2005). Since a brand has been defined as a “distinguishing name
and/or symbol intended to identify the goods or services of either one seller or a group of
sellers and to differentiate those goods or services from those of competitors” (Aaker, 1991,
p. 7), the purpose of branding is to create an identity that differentiates.
Brand identity research has typically been framed in identity theory (Stryker, 1987) by
scholars with slight differences in the models for business-to-consumer (Aaker, 1996;
Aaker and Joachimsthaler, 2000; de Chernatony, 2001; Kapferer, 2004) and business-to-
 IJSMS business contexts (Beverland et al., 2007). Beverland’s (2004) framework usefully combines
18,4 six brand dimensions (culture, marketing, value driven emergence, history, product
integrity, and endorsements). But, the differences between brand image and identity were
not deemed specific enough for this investigation. Kapferer’s (2004) brand identity prism
framework is closely related to that of Harris and de Chernatony’s (2001); however,
the authors suggest the positioning construct is more ideal for assessing human brands
350 than the physique construct. Positioning relates to the why, what, when, and for whom of a
brand. In contrast, physique is limited to the physical specificities and qualities of the
brand (Harris and de Chernatony, 2001). As a result, this study utilized Harris and
de Chernatony’s (2001) model for managing brands and extended brand identity as the
framework for this investigation.

2.2 Extended brand identity and athletes

The core identity refers to the timeless essence of the brand; whereas, the extended identity
of a brand is based upon unique sets of associations for and characteristics of the brand
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(Ghodeswar, 2008; Pusa and Uusitalo, 2014). The core identity of the brand is unchanging
and includes the fixed attributes of the athlete such as on-field performance. On the other
hand, extended identity includes the positioning, personality and presentation of the brand.
Aaker and Joachimsthaler (2000) posit that a key component to brand identity
development is focusing on what the brand stands for and the ability of the brand to express
its identity to consumers or fans. Through extended brand identity, consumers can validate
their own identities via the brands they connect with and consume (Aaker, 1996; Escalas
and Bettman, 2005; Farhana, 2014). Since this investigation was focused on the extended
brand identity of athlete brands, the authors fixated solely on the constructs that are most
relevant to this study. Therefore, positioning, personality, and presentation were assessed,
while culture and vision (core identification elements), relationships (based on having staff
and management teams), and reputation ( formed by stakeholders) were not.
2.2.1 Athlete brand identity positioning. Brand positioning defines the brand, to whom it
is offered, and the benefits it affords consumers. Positioning the brand, likewise, allows the
firm or athlete to describe the functionality and capabilities of the brand, thereby
differentiating the brand from similar offerings. As with the other extended facets, brand
positioning is disseminated from the brand’s core values and is affected by brand artifacts
(Harris and de Chernatony, 2001). In fact, Sujan and Bettman (1989) argue that the brand’s
core identity determines the positioning and positioning strategy, and positioning strategy
is reinforced via the brand’s artifacts and core values. Hence, the following research
questions guided the assessment of positioning of the athlete brands:
RQ1. How do the two athlete brands position their brand identity? What comparisons
and contrasts can be made regarding how the athletes position their brand?
2.2.2 Athlete brand identity personality. Sport management literature has given brand
personality much attention (e.g. Carlson et al., 2009; Carlson and Donavan, 2013); however,
few scholars have examined brand personality from the brand owner’s perspective.
Particularly, Carlson and Donavan (2013) found athlete brand personality attributes of
prestige and distinctiveness positively affect how fans identify with the athlete brand.
The study extended Aaker’s (1996) brand personality framework and Carlson et al.’s (2009)
work by adding athlete prestige and distinctiveness. Carlson and Donavan (2013) also
determined that imaginative, successful, charming, tough, and wholesome were antecedents
to prestige and distinctiveness, and that identification positively influences business-related
outcomes and behaviors. Additionally, the authors provided examples of wholesome (e.g.
Peyton Manning), imaginative (e.g. Shaun White), successful (e.g. Roger Federer), charming
(David Beckham), and tough (Brett Favre) athlete brands.
 Like positioning, the personality of a brand is vital to distinguishing one brand from Brand identity
another. The personality of a brand represents a somewhat transitory phase regarding the of two elite
extended identity of a brand. This is significant for those brands that become iconic, and is female athletes
seemingly an important notion for athlete brands. Athlete brands are inherently human, and
a connection to personality can be easy to understand by researchers. Further, scholars
have expressed that brand personality is an invaluable component that influences
both brand identity and brand image (Geuens et al., 2009). Since athletes can be considered 351
human brands, understanding how fans and consumers perceive their brand personality
provides valuable business management-related insight (Carlson and Donavan, 2013).
Therefore, the following research questions guided assessment of the brand
personality construct:
RQ2. What are the brand personalities of the two athletes? How do the brand
personalities of the two athletes compare and contrast?
2.2.3 Athlete brand identity presentation. How the brand presents itself is critical to
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extending brand identity. Presentation includes “identification of presentation styles to

present the brand’s identity so as to reflect consumers’ aspirations and self-images”
(Harris and de Chernatony, 2001, p. 444). How the brand is, or will be, viewed by
stakeholders is of primary importance to this extended element of brand identity.
The stakeholders’ perception of the brand is considered by brand managers when deciding
on brand presentation strategies. Although an internally based decision, the firm is mindful
of consumer groups when deciding how the brand will be displayed. Brands have to
connect in some manner with potential stakeholders, and consideration of the presentation
styles used to deliver the brand to those groups is imperative. Furthermore, symbolic
meanings that express aspects of self that consumers can align with help build the brand in
an effective manner. For athlete brands, presentation style fosters connections
with stakeholders. So, the following research questions guided the assessment of athlete
brand presentation:
RQ3. How do the two athlete brands present their brand identity to stakeholders? What
comparisons and contrasts can be described regarding how the two athletes
present their brand identities?

3. Method
Based on the purpose of exploring female athletes’ extended brand identity, this
investigation utilized a comparative case study (Yin, 2003) approach to contrast the brand
identities of Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman. The authors employed extant theory
(brand identity) to examine a new context (elite female athletes in the sport of softball) to
investigate the extended brand identities of two female athletes.

3.1 Jennie Finch vs Cat Osterman

The two cases for this study, Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman, are two of softball’s most
iconic (Holt, 2004), prestigious, and distinctive (Carlson and Donavan, 2013) players.
These female athletes were selected because they have developed distinct brands through
very successful athletic careers and notoriety off the field (see Table I). Finch and Osterman
have a similar sport platform in that they both were: softball pitchers; National Player of the
Year in college; Team USA players in the 2004 and 2008 Olympics; and professional players
in the National Pro Fastpitch. Thus, as athletes or products, the two are very similar
“products” which provides a valuable context for comparing the extended brand identity of
each to examine differences in branding, or the creation of an identity.
 IJSMS 3.2 Data collection and analysis
18,4 Data were collected via: individual in-depth, semi-structured interviews (n ¼ 4) with
Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman and their agents; and documents including social media
platforms of both athletes and Jennie Finch’s autobiography. All semi-structured interviews
were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim to ensure accuracy and clarity (Fontana and
Frey, 2005). As suggested by Lincoln and Guba (1985), the primary author kept a reflexive
352 journal throughout the data collection process in order to document findings and thoughts as
well as to reflect on each interview. In the reflexive journal, references were made to researcher
thoughts, emerging themes, ideas and categories, and other commonalities or differences
among the interview data (Creswell, 2012). Personal thoughts of the primary author on the
interviews also were documented. The interview guide was based upon extant branding
literature, brand identity theory, and Harris and de Chernatony’s (2001) framework.
As recommended in qualitative research, data were analyzed throughout the data
collection and analysis process (Patton, 1990). Thus, data analysis commenced after
conducting the first interview and continued throughout the data collection process. After
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each individual interview, the primary author transcribed the interview verbatim, reading
over the transcript to review and gain further insight on the interview. According to Strauss
(1987), this process allows for further inquiry into the data.
Data were analyzed via data reduction and thematic coding utilizing an open coding
process (Miles and Huberman, 1994). Guided by brand identity theory and literature, a priori
codes were developed prior to examining the data in order to assist with the coding
(Miles and Huberman, 1994). Going line by line through the transcriptions, a priori
categories were identified as: brand positioning; brand personality; and brand presentation.
Once the codes were grouped into these categories, a general inductive approach was
employed to reduce the data into general categories (Thomas, 2006). General category labels
were assigned to data and text associated with these categories was coded to further
illustrate the meanings, associations, and perspectives of each athlete (Thomas, 2006).
Additionally, the authors used document analysis to further support the dominant
themes. Document analysis lends credence to interviews and helps substantiate findings
elicited from the study (Babiak and Wolfe, 2009; Bowen, 2009). To assess the athletes’
conscious personal branding strategies, the authors investigated their social media
platforms to analyze the athletes’ posts and communication strategies. Information from
these platforms provided background to the athletes’ brand personalities and supplemented
information collected from the interviews. Also, Jennie Finch’s autobiography Throw Like a
Girl provided extended brand identity content on the athlete. Documents were coded and
analyzed in the same manner as interview transcripts (Bowen, 2009).
Lincoln and Guba’s (1985) criteria for enhancing trustworthiness was employed.
To ensure credibility of this study, a number of measures were taken including triangulating

Battle of the brands Jennie Finch Cat Osterman

Sport/position Softball Pitcher Softball Pitcher

Age 33 31
College University of Arizona University of Texas
Olympics 2004, 2008 2004, 2008
Professional Chicago Bandits 2005 to 2010 USSSA Pride 2009 to Current
Major endorsements Mizuno, Chobani Yogurt, Timex, Phiten, Under Armour, Wilson Sporting Goods,
Table I. Diamond Nation, Team Snap Longhorn Bar
Overview data on the Twitter followers 133.5k 37.9k
Jennie Finch and Facebook 325,000 54,189
Cat Osterman brands Instagram 224,000 13,000
 the data, member checking, and peer debriefing (Lincoln and Guba, 1985). As a form of peer Brand identity
debriefing, an athlete branding scholar reviewed the codes to identify additional themes of two elite
that the authors may have missed. Together, the authors discussed the emergent and female athletes
dominant themes which helped provide further insight into the data. Furthermore,
transcripts and initial categorization were sent to Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman to ensure the
authors had accurately captured their responses. Neither Finch nor Osterman provided any
revisions or suggestions to the transcripts or themes. This served to enhance the credibility of 353
the study by guaranteeing correct interpretation of the data (Lincoln and Guba, 1985).
NVivo 10 software was utilized to conduct the coding and assist in data management
(Gioia et al., 2000).

4. Findings
From the comparative analysis of the two athlete brands, three extended brand identity
themes emerged within the categories from Harris and de Chernatony’s (2001) model
(see Figure 1). The themes are identified as: [positioning] “anti-hero vs girl next door;”
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[personality] “She’s Mary Ann to her Ginger;” and [presentation] “ribbons and bows vs the
name and the game” (see Table II).

Extended
Jennie Cat
Brand
Finch Osterman
Identity

Girl-next- Positioning Anti-hero

door

Ginger Personality Mary Ann

Figure 1.
Extended brand
Ribbons and The Name element facets of
Presentation and the Jennie Finch and
Bows
Game Cat Osterman

Category Theme Descriptor

Brand positioning
Finch Girl-next-door Wants to “encourage, inspire and just be me to help the next generation”
Osterman Anti-hero Not “a person who would just do anything and everything, smile on my
face all the time type of person because that is not who I am”
Brand personality
Finch Ginger, wholesome “high standards on and off the field as far as integrity and the way I go
and sincere about competing”
Osterman Mary Ann, successful “completely competitive with a little bit of spunk and attitude to it”
and tough

Table II.
Brand presentation Emergent themes on
Finch Ribbons and bows Likes being known as “the pitcher with ribbons in her hair” brand identities of
Osterman The name and the “Using my first name instead of the whole name is common sense and a Jennie Finch and
game little edgy” Cat Osterman
 IJSMS 4.1 Athlete brand positioning: girl-next-door vs Anti-hero
18,4 The data revealed a distinct contrast between the athletes. Finch represents the girl-next
door persona through how she has positioned herself as exhibiting sweetness, femininity,
and altruism, yet maintaining exceptional performance on the mound. In many ways,
her positioning strategy reflects a best of both worlds scenario for a female athlete brand in
a male dominated sport industry. That is, she embraces her physical attractiveness and
354 femininity while still being a great performer on the field. This duality was essential to
Finch’s brand identity.
Finch’s desire to position herself as feminine but athletic was seen in her mindset toward
positioning her brand. Finch consistently used the adjective “inspiration” to describe her brand
positioning. She expressed that she wants to “encourage, inspire […] and just be me to help the
next generation.” According to Finch, she tries to “be transparent, [and] approachable” to
others. During the interviews, Finch wanted others to think of her as “a team player” and a
person who has successfully navigated the duality she values. A quote from Finch’s agent
supports her desire to not position herself in a manner that would negatively affect her brand:
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Maxim magazine wanted to have a story on her [with photos]. She was like, no because “I don’t want
a 13-year-old girl to be like oh, the softball player I love, Jennie Finch, mom go get that magazine.”
In contrast, Osterman revealed that she was comfortable being the antagonist, or anti-hero,
to the Finch girl next door image. Shuart (2007) defines the sports anti-hero as an “athlete
who does not affirm the predominant value system in American society” ( p. 128).
With female athletes, these women are often portrayed by society and the media first as
women and then as athletes. Any woman who emphasizes her athleticism rather than her
feminism is paradoxical to the modernist interpretation of gender (Knight and Giuliano,
2001). So, as the anti-hero, Osterman made a conscious effort to express her athletic
performance vs her physical attributes and appearance; whereas, Finch was comfortable
building her brand by including her athletic performance, femininity, sweet personality, and
girl next door image. When asked how she positioned her brand, Osterman claimed she
focused “pretty much on just my playing career.”
Data revealed Osterman was comfortable positioning herself as a ballplayer first,
foremost, and almost exclusively. She was not concerned with much, other than being a
great competitor and experiencing success from on field accomplishments. Her desire was to
position her brand in this manner, almost with a single-minded focus. Even though her
counterpart was also an iconic player, Osterman did not spend much time concerned about
her brand per se. She positioned herself as the anti-hero when comparing herself to Finch,
stating that she is not “a person who would just do anything and everything, smile on my
face all the time type of person because that is not who I am.” A response from her about her
endorsement deal with Under Armour was telling:
I worked well with Under Armour. It was very much we want you to play. And, I’m like great,
because for me personally that [is] all I want to do. I just want to play, and not worry about all this
other stuff.
Osterman also believed it was important to express her athleticism through her brand rather
than her physical attractiveness stating “the athlete in me wants females to be seen for their
performance and not their looks. I want people to know the athlete first and foremost.”
She consciously expressed that through her brand she stood for athletic performance and
dominance and did not want to be known by physical attributes.

4.2 Athlete brand personality: She’s Mary Ann to her Ginger

Data showed significant personality differences between these two athlete brands.
According to Osterman, her agent, Ken Turkel, compared her and Finch to two television
 characters from the 1960s sitcom Gilligan’s Island. Osterman stated, “he said I’m somewhat Brand identity
of a Mary Ann to Jennie’s Ginger. You have a vibe that's maybe a little more edgy.” of two elite
Turkel agreed that Osterman’s “edgy” brand personality was a large part of her brand female athletes
identity. As Osterman described her brand, she stated her brand is edgy, serious, and
completely athletic. Other personality traits like assertive, focused, intense, and competitive
emerged from the data. She characterized her brand as “completely competitive” with
“a little bit of spunk and attitude to it.” Osterman believes this seriousness in her personality 355
stems from her childhood. “I’ve just always been very serious” she remarked, “even going
back to when I worked with my dad in the driveway […] I just always looked serious.”
She believed the “stubbornness” of wanting to get it right contributed to her edginess and
her athletic success. Therefore, successful and tough (Carlson and Donavan, 2013) brand
personality (Aaker, 1996) dimensions evolved from the data to describe Osterman.
In contrast, data best informed Finch as wholesome, successful, and charming (Carlson
and Donavan, 2013). Additional traits that materialized from the data include feminine,
morality, sophisticated, sweet, and well-liked. In that regard, Finch called herself a “people
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pleaser,” describing how an instance in her youth when she was denied an autograph
inspired her to make a commitment toward signing every autograph she can after games
and events. “I love to compete” said Finch, providing an example of how success is primary
to her brand identity. She completed her thoughts, “high standards on and off the field as far
as integrity and the way I go about competing” to describe her wholesome and charming
personality traits.
But perhaps the best descriptor of how Finch’s extended brand identity is exhibited
through her personality came from a story that Osterman told about a conversation the two
athletes had about Finch’s appearance on Celebrity Appearance. “But she [Finch] straight
up said,” Osterman pontificated, “Cat, you would have been good because of your bitchiness
[in regards to Celebrity Apprentice].” She continued with her thoughts about the two
personalities, including her assessment of their brand differentiation by stating “and I said
therein lies the difference between you and I.” It appeared Osterman consciously noted a key
distinction between their brands and their brand personalities – almost the bitch vs the
Barbie, similar to the aforementioned anti-hero and girl-next-door positioning personas.
Osterman described the contrasts in her personality with that of Finch’s as it specifically
related to brand building:
If my personality was a little different would I have gotten some of the opportunities she [Finch]
did? Yeah, probably. But at the same time if I had a little bit of a different personality, would I be the
same pitcher I am? Maybe not.

4.3 Athlete brand presentation: ribbons and bows vs the name and the game
Farhana (2014) noted brand presentation entails the expression of the brand’s physical
attributes. Results indicate Finch incorporated tangible, exterior features such as
accessories as part of her brand identity presentation strategy. Accessories were used to
reflect her feminine athletic associations and to differentiate her from other players and
female athletes. She liked the fact she had become known as “the pitcher with ribbons in her
hair,” as it balanced the duality she embraced as a core value (Finch and Killon, 2011, p. 55).
Finch said her brand identity presentation includes wearing bows and makeup, and she
embraced her identity as “the pitcher who wore bows.”
Finch also described how she liked to present herself as the player who brought “pink
into the game but at the same time still feared by hitters,” a descriptor of her desire to be
identified as balancing the duality. She further accentuated this notion by stating she likes
“the contrast between being as a tough-as-nails athlete and a hot-pink-on-my nails girl.”
Finch verbalized that the color pink represented her brand identity well because it was a
 IJSMS direct expression of who she is, along with the accessories (ribbons and bows) she wore
18,4 while competing. Finch did not directly discuss her differences from Osterman; however,
she did mention she discerns herself as a more feminine softball player through what she wears
and the physical attributes of her personal brand (i.e. the color pink and hair accessories).
Osterman, who stated “I don’t care what my hair looks like or what bow I’m wearing,”
uses more athletic performance features such as her name, pitching stance, and signature to
356 present her brand identity. In contrast to how she regarded positioning and personality
dimensions of brand building, Osterman was much more interested in the strategy
surrounding how her brand was presented. For instance, she believed the use of the
nickname “Cat” differentiated her from Finch and other softball players. Of course, this is an
approach used by celebrities (e.g. Madonna) and athletes (e.g. Neymar) to brand iconic
status. According to Osterman, whose real name is Catherine, branding her equipment with
just the name Cat portrayed her edgy personality, set apart her brand, and presented her
brand identity well:
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Using my first name instead of the whole name on my glove and bat is common sense and again a
little edgy. People are like “oh I have the Jennie Finch glove” and “oh I have your Cat glove” […] you
don’t have to put a last name to it and I think that’s pretty cool.
She continued the notion by stating “my signature is on the bat and glove which is because
I think more people know me as just ‘Cat’ […]. In the softball world you can say Cat and it’s
pretty much common knowledge.” Osterman placed value on her name as a presentation of
her brand identity. This aligns well with her core identity of being focused on competition,
performance, and the sport of softball.
In keeping with her brand identity, Osterman also referenced her pitching motion as a
large part of her brand and what has become her brand’s logo. For athletes, style of play is a
tangible feature of their brand image (Rein et al., 2006a). She believes her style of play
embodies everything about her unique brand identity:
I think almost every time you see a shot of me, it’s hands overhead, serious demeanor, where
I’m looking at the camera or the batter […] but that is my brand, my image, that’s me to a T.
That picture encompasses everything I think as my brand because I’m serious and focused.
I want to win.

5. Discussion
The purpose of this comparative case study was to explore the extended brand identity of
two female athletes through the internal perspective of the brand owner. The themes from
the findings provide support for Harris and de Chernatony’s (2001) brand identity
framework in the context of athlete and human brands, as both Finch and Osterman’s
extended brand identity accurately portrayed the brand’s positioning (de Chernatony, 1999;
Kapferer, 2004), expressed the athletes’ brand personality (Kapferer, 2004), and described
how the athletes present their brand positions and personality served as brand
differentiators (de Chernatony, 1999; Kapferer, 2004).
As part of her positioning and presentation strategies, Finch has extended and
differentiated her identity via the use of her logo, taglines “Dream and Believe,” and use of
“inspiration” to present herself as the girl-next-door persona. By highlighting both her
feminine characteristics and altruistic desires, Finch distinguished herself from other female
athletes and softball players through her brand positioning and presentation strategies.
Osterman’s desire to exclusively position herself as a ballplayer and someone focused
almost entirely on her role as an athlete, likewise differentiated her from others, in general,
and Finch specifically. When combining her personality and presentation strategies,
Osterman has positioned herself as an anti-hero compared to the Finch persona. This is seen
throughout her extended brand identity, an identity that is almost the opposite of
 Finch when it comes to personality, positioning, and presentation strategies. The altruistic, Brand identity
wholesome girl next door focused on building her brand via a variety of platforms vs the of two elite
edgy, intensely competitive anti-hero with very limited focus on increasing her extended female athletes
brand identity cogently summarizes the results of this investigation.
The athletes’ internal, intangible facets of their brand personality influenced both their
brand positioning and presentation. For example, Finch’s girl-next-door persona and desire
to inspire her fans were expressed through her Dream and Believe message (positioning) 357
and her passion for portraying her competitive femininity was expressed through her hair
accessories and use of the color pink (presentation). Kapferer’s (2004) model uses brand
personality as the human characteristics assigned to products, but in the case of human
(athlete) brands, the brand’s personality includes the internal elements of the athlete herself.
In the context of human branding, it could be argued that brand personality represents the
initial step in brand identity creation and the athlete’s brand positioning and presentation
are expressions of her brand personality. According to Carlson and Donavan (2013),
athlete brand personality is different from brand personality as it encompasses both
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unobservable (Brown et al., 2002) and observable traits, or temporary states fans associate
with the athlete (Chaplin et al., 1988).
As part of the extended identity, brand personality is a key component of the evolution to
iconic status (Tan and Ming, 2003). These results indicate that the brand personalities
described by the participants were key to the differentiation of their brands (Geuens et al.,
2009). As previously mentioned, the two athletes (as products) are very similar; however,
their brands are distinctively different in regard to their brand personalities (Carlson and
Donavan, 2013). While both Finch and Osterman are strong brands in the softball
community, Finch arguably has obtained greater brand status and notoriety among
stakeholders based upon brand personality differences.
Finch’s personality was assessed as creating emotional value based upon her being
approachable, inspirational, and wholesome. According to Aaker (1996) these qualities make
up the brand personality dimension of sincerity. In contrast, Osterman’s personality was
more performance driven and functional in nature. Thomson (2006) found consumers
develop strong attachments for human brands that provide a sense of closeness and an
emotional connection. Thus, it appears Finch’s personality has helped her create symbolic
meaning for her brand identity, providing her fans emotional value. Further, as Carlson and
Donavan (2013) suggest, athletes with successful, charming, and wholesome personalities
positively affect fans’ attitudes toward them. Finch’s wholesome personality can be viewed
as an antecedent to prestige and distinctiveness that help positively influence fans’
business-related outcomes and behaviors toward her brand (Carlson and Donavan, 2013).
On the other hand, Osterman’s personality communicates well with fans interested in
competition and less interested in attributes common to Finch.
In that regard, findings indicate Finch was much more interested in brand building and
the processes and management strategies connected to such practices. This behavior could
provide rationale for the number of followers on social media garnered by the athletes along
with the opportunities they have received to extend their brands. Athletes looking to build
and leverage their brand long term may want to consider themselves like a small business.
For example, Jennie Finch has used her business-minded personality to build the Jennie
Finch Softball Clinics as well as strategic business partnerships such as an appearance on
Celebrity Apprentice and with the NYC Marathon and Timex. Osterman’s desire to play
softball and to not seek ways to bolster her brand has allowed her less avenues for
extending her brand outside of softball. Both approaches, nonetheless, can be effective
athlete marketing strategies. With endorsements, the key is to lend the athlete’s persona to
products that are befitting of the athlete’s brand identity. Even in the case of Osterman’s
anti-hero identity, an efficacious endorsement matching can result in positive consumer
 IJSMS attitudes toward the athlete, positive brand attitudes, and purchase intentions
18,4 (Pokrywczynski and Brinker, 2012).
Despite life transformations, Finch has created brand longevity by initially capitalizing
from her sport platform and building a clear and consistent brand extending her identity
through positioning and presentation. Osterman is still playing professionally, but these
data indicate she has consciously starting considering the transformation of her brand after
358 her playing career. To maintain her brand will likely require strategy to build her extended
brand identity with an approach similar to what Finch has exhibited.

5.1 Implications
This study adds to the extant literature of athlete branding, female athlete branding, and
extended brand identity. Branding scholars have suggested branding requires a long-term
mindset by the firm (Ghodeswar, 2008). Using brand identity theory to look internally at the
brand identity creation of Jennie Finch and Cat Osterman, findings from this case study
provide evidence for defining and establishing an athlete’s brand identity. Brand identity
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can serve as the foundation for branding efforts for athletes seeking to generate long-term
value during and after their softball careers.
Due to the lack of lucrative playing opportunities and the documented lesser earnings in
major endorsement deals, it may be important for certain softball athletes to think
strategically about creating a brand identity. This strategy establishes a sense of individuality
which differentiates the athlete from other athletes. Additionally, developing and maintaining
an extended brand identity evokes stronger emotional attachments with fans.
As branding scholars suggest, brand identity frameworks allow scholars and brand
managers to internally assess the brand. Extended brand identity, composed of positioning,
the unique personality attributes of the athlete, and the presentation of the athletes’ brand
identity allows athletes’ to differentiate themselves from others (de Chernatony, 1999).
This case study provides a rich description of two iconic female softball athletes’ behaviors
regarding how they build their extended brand identities.
In this regard, this investigation provides some interesting practical implications for
athletes, marketers, and managers responsible for building athlete brands. Brand identity is
the foundation of successful branding efforts, thus, it is critical to an athlete’s long term
branding success to develop a clear, concise extended brand identity strategy. Although the
focus of this study was in the sport of softball, the authors suggest that both the girl-next-
door and anti-hero personas are marketable and have positive outcomes related to building
effective, long lasting brands. However, to realize those outcomes, the athlete, or those
managing the player, should develop extended brand identity strategies in line with the
identity of the athlete brand. These findings suggest Finch’s strategies have led to a
recognizable and effective brand; while, Osterman’s desire to not focus on her extended
brand identity has limited her brand building. Understanding how athletes can position and
present their unique brand personalities to separate them from other athletes can help their
brands create value on and off the field. According to Rein et al. (2006b), the advantage of
viewing athletes as brands is that athletes have “the potential to enter into a variety of
sectors and use his or her sports career as a platform for other endeavors” ( p. 264).
The authors suggest the results of this study indicate that focusing on effective extended
brand identity strategies can build athlete brands, including female athlete brands.

5.2 Limitations and future research

As the case in all research, limitations exist that potentially could affect the findings.
First, due to the qualitative method of data collection, the participants in this case study may
have withheld information or failed to fully disclose information pertaining to their own
brand and branding strategies. Second, the majority of one-on-one interviews were
 conducted via telephone rather than in-person which means we were not able to capture Brand identity
participants’ nonverbal communication. According to Creswell (2012), this data collection of two elite
method is viable when in-person access is not possible; however, it could limit the depth of female athletes
the information obtained.
The goal of this exploratory, comparative case study was to produce foundational
information on extended athlete brand identity inspiring future research. While this study
thoroughly examined the brands of these two female softball athletes, this is definitely a 359
limitation of this study. Future studies should apply similar theoretical frameworks and
research designs to examine the extended brand identity of other female and male athletes
from various individual and team sports. The authors focused on extended brand identity;
therefore, analyzing the core identity of athlete brands would be especially fertile for
providing additional understanding of this important marketing phenomenon.
Further, future research should examine the specific strategies athletes use to leverage
their brands off the field and the potential barriers they face when attempting to build long
term personal brand equity.
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Additionally, future research could examine extended athlete brand identity from a
longitudinal perspective. Illuminating the similarities and differences between athlete
brands could provide further insight into the long-term brand building process for
these person brands. Finally, comparing the brand identity athletes try to create themselves
vs the perceived brand image from consumers could provide valuable managerial
and academic insight.

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About the authors

Jami Lobpries is the Vice President of USA Elite Select at USSSA Fast Pitch softball. Her research
interests are in the areas of athlete branding and sport marketing with a focus on women’s sports and
female athletes. She believes in using sports as a platform for positive social change. Lobpries has
worked at various levels in the sport industry. These include community, youth, intercollegiate and
professional levels of the industry.
Gregg Bennett is the Director of the Center for Sport Management Research and Education at
Texas A&M University. His research line has focused on sports consumer attitudes, perceptions and
behaviors related to effective industry practice and sporting events. Gregg Bennett is the
corresponding author and can be contacted at: gbennett@tamu.edu
Natasha Brison is an Assistant Professor in Sport Management at Texas A&M University.
Her research focuses on how sport entities build, manage, and protect their brands using marketing
strategies.

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