So, David Beckham played his final game for LA Galaxy last weekend and lifted the MLS Cup to close their season on a high. Mr Beckham has decided not to take the easy road and continue with the status quo of life with LA Galaxy.

I would’ve thought it’d be incredibly easy for him to re-sign for a another year or two and continue living the high life next door to Jay Leno and where his kids are apparently happy in school. He’s announced he’s looking for a new challenge and I bet the phone’s been ringing off the hook. I’m sure footy clubs the world over, have been throwing in their offers and with them will be new A-list sponsors. So DB will likely become the face of something new as he dons a new shirt in perhaps a new country.

A brand that always springs to mind as needing somewhat of a renaissance is Chanel. This is ludicrously theoretical, not least because his own product lines would exclude him from the running, so I’m using Beckham/Chanel as more of a marketing metaphor here.

Chanel No.5 is the perfume your grandmother wore. The brand is iconic, lavish, glorious and monolithic but isn’t it rather like the Catholic Church: hugely important to many, but more so to those ‘of a certain age’ than to generation Y (at least as far as interaction is concerned)?

When asked in 1954 what she wore in bed at night, Marilyn Monroe infamously answered, “Five drops of Chanel No.5.” What woman would say such a thing today?

The brand is still a huge concern but Interbrand don’t feel them worthy for their Top 100, although Cartier, Burberry and Ralph Lauren feature. Global Post place them 4^th amongst luxury brands, albeit down a place from last year. And internationally I don’t doubt Asia and other areas are lapping up the double C logo for all they’re worth, but it just doesn’t feel like middle Britain is clambering to wave their plastic for a piece of Chanel.

Their heavy-hitting brand ambassadors have included Nicole Kidman, Keira Knightley and Brad Pitt. Whilst using evocative messages, did they gain much traction and make the brand more relevant – in the UK at least?

I’m not saying DB’s tattoos and personality are a perfect fit – and I know he’s more working class than your high-end Harrods demographic – but in this Jungle-Strictly-X-factor celebrity-riddled world, I could think of worse faces and less authentic personalities I’d like to reshape my brand identity around. But then I guess I’m not Chanel’s audience… or on their board.

Questions:
Do you think Chanel needs a burst of energy/life/Botox? Ignoring the footy, who can you see being a great fit for the marketing draw of David Beckham?