Branding the Globe: The Real Madrid Takeover

Real Madrid got its start in 1902, but it wasn't until the 1950s under Santiago Bernabéu as president and his squad of international superstars that the team began to make a name for themselves as the best, winning five championships in a row. The team was not as successful in the following decades, but towards the end of the 1990s, the team began to rediscover the values and style of play reminiscent of the Bernabéu era. in 2000, Florentio Pérez took over the presidency and began rebuilding the club's brand, beginning with bringing in Luis Figo, an international player lured away from Madrid's rival, FC Barcelona. This project looks at the various ways that Pérez and everyone involved in the club have transformed this team into more than just a club, but a globally recognized brand with partnerships spanning the globe, and media projects extending from the digital arena to literally marking the globe with a yacht basin in the shape of the RM logo. I first position the team as a brand and then look at some of the many ways the club has extended their reach across the globe, with in depth looks at a few advertisements with sponsors Adidas and Turespaña.