First rule of marketing is to try and know what the market wants. What it needs is none of your business.

A Tiger Woods putter is not about making you play like him, its about making you feel like you might. There are more wannabees than actuals.

Some riders/players will sell their bodies and souls to suppliers of any old rubbish to make a living and its up to them. I'm old enough to remember every sportsman and his dog telling you cigarettes were great etc. None of them smoked off camera since the 70's.

What a few have noted above is that the "Adventure" market now has established players like Chris Scott and Sam Manicom who will to some degree sell their services. Unlike say Golf or Tennis there is less movement of champions /celebrities. If Gary Player was still able to promote golf clubs Tiger Woods would be a bit poorer and have more free time.

You also have the internet where if someone spots the Held personality wearing Dainese it'll be an event. Amazon reviews and obviously honest blogs tell you more about the product than a scripted you tube video.

For promotions I always go with spending the budget on better customer service and rewarding people who leave positive tweets, amazon reviews and the like. You get way more for your money. A man called Edsel telling me Fords have great handling makes me laugh not go buy one.

Andy