The Personal Brand With the Most to Lose at the Olympics – Michael Phelps

As I write this, Michael Phelps is swimming for his life….and his brand.  Knowing how great he looked in the 400 IM and how stunning the win for the men’s 4×100 free relay was – as the duo to open his 8 gold medal quest gives me hope he will be able to pull off the seemingly impossible.  And if he doesn’t?  Has he tied his brand - his piece of history – his legacy – too tightly to the number 8?  To beating Mark Spitz’s Herculean 7 Golds feat of 36 summers past?

In Athens, 2004, falling short (which meant 6 golds – not bad by any standard) gave Phelps an inspiration to see if he could push harder - and go for those 8 golds again.  This time, there is much less safety net.  At 23, he’s not likely to trade in another 4 years to go in 2012 - or to stay this on top of the field.  This is his chance to make history. 

However, because of how the media has positioned him - in 8 golds or bust – it is also his chance to do amazing things – and still be seen as not succeeding.  There’s no way anyone who’s won Olympic Gold – much less, at this point, 8 of them in two Olympics – can be called a failure.  But with his name and his brand so tightly tied to those 8 wins in one try – beating Spitz’s 7, Phelps has his personal brand at risk – and will be judged for sponsorships, commericals and more based on his total achievement and not on the actual merit of winning even just the two gold medals he has already locked up.  We’ll check in later in the week to see what happens.