World Cup struck by curse of celebrity endorsement as the stars fail to shine

The golden boys of World Cup football should have been an advertiser's dream.

But the tournament surprises that have kept football fans enthralled have proved a marketing nightmare.

Only seven of the 49 players lined up by the sports giants Nike and Adidas for their current promotional campaigns have even managed to score so far. Renault and their rivals Fiat have also suffered as their chosen celebrity strikers – Thierry Henry and Francesco Totti respectively – were both sent off in disgrace.

And 7-Up found its star endorsement rendered worthless even before the football began. The soft-drinks giant based its entire ad campaign in Ireland around the country's captain, Roy Keane. But the hot-headed player was on a plane home before hardly anyone had a chance to buy one of millions of cans of fizzy drinks emblazoned with his face.

Neil Broome, of independent market analysts Datamonitor, said the advertising jinx could persuade some firms to opt for less risky – and less costly – marketing options next time. "It is clear that supporting a world-class player doesn't necessarily always work," he said. "Like any 'brand ambassador', a sporting figure can fall from grace, put in a poor performance or simply fail to have the expected impact.

"If one chooses a sporting figure, such as Thierry Henry, who is almost exclusively known for his ability on the field, then his image, and hence the brand's, is dependent on his continued performance."

Renault must have expected to boost the macho image of its Clio model when it chose Henry to front a campaign contrasting with the feminine appeal of "Papa and Nicole". But the striker was sent off for a lunging tackle in France's second match, leaving him suspended and his team weakened for their final game against Denmark. The team's defeat sent the whole side home in ignominy.

Totti, too, received a red card in the extra time of Italy's knockout match against South Korea – minutes before the golden goal that put his country out of the tournament.

Datamonitor's analysis, however, noted that it was Nike and Adidas who must be most disappointed. Of the 49 players they are endorsing, only one, – the Brazilian star Ronaldo, who is signed to Nike – has scored more than twice.

Nike has two other scorers to its name – Brian McBride and Ronaldinho – while Adidas has Raul, Beckham, Del Piero and Rui Costa.

One of Nike's main men, Luis Figo, started the tournament injured, while Zinedine Zidane, for Adidas, pulled a thigh muscle during France's last match before the tournament and barely made it off the sidelines.

Advertising executives claim that fans are very brand-loyal when it comes to their favourite sport, so it is difficult to imagine that the upsets seen in Japan and Korea have helped consumer sales.

Yet Neil Broome suggested that the biggest names are probably worth their weight in gold, regardless. David Beckham has become such a media personality that his star quality matters more than how he plays the game.

"If one chooses figures who have been developed as media personalities beyond their observed on-field performance, such as David Beckham for Adidas or Eric Cantona for Nike, then the success of the campaign will be less dependent on their individual performances," Mr Broome said.