Norwegian phenom widening influence
Saturday, August 14, 2010 02:51 AM

The emergence of chess superstar Magnus Carlsen – the strongest player in the world at age 19 – represents an enticing opportunity for the Norwegian investment company Arctic Securities.

Arctic has embarked upon a long-term effort to create a Carlsen “brand.”

For the past year or so, the Nordic prodigy has been displaying the company’s logo on his clothes.

The recent use of Carlsen in an advertising campaign to model G-Star denims would seem to support the effort to enhance and expand his image. G-Star, based in Amsterdam, Netherlands, is known for its innovative clothing.

Clearly, this is something new in chess promotion.

Bobby Fischer achieved a historical media chess presence in 1972, but he spurned all commercial activities.

Garry Kasparov’s subsequent efforts in the 1980s and ’90s to find corporate backing for chess met with limited success.

Because Carlsen has yet to achieve either the charisma of Fischer or the massive popularity of a Michael Jordan or a Tiger Woods, his prospects seem significantly more limited.

But even a much smaller Carlsen presence might be a game-changer for the austere royal game.

Source: http://www.dispatch.com

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