Skift Take

Alaska Airlines should think big about this partnership with Russell Wilson. Be creative, and throw a Hail Mary pass if you have to.

Russell Wilson, quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks (12-2), hopes to be traveling to Super Bowl XLVIII at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey in early February, and that wouldn’t hurt the exclusive multiyear marketing partnership he just entered into with Alaska Airlines.

Alaska Airlines, which has playfully dubbed Wilson as its new CFO, as in chief football officer, declined to provide specifics about the economics of the agreement.

Wilson will appear in advertisements and marketing campaigns, and will make promotional appearances for “Seattle’s hometown airline,” a spokesperson says, but the relationship appears mostly tied to supporting youth education and engaging with customers.

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The second-year quarterback has done promotional events for the airline in the past, such as this April 7, 2013 promotional appearance at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, with photos appearing on the airline’s Facebook page.

But, from the tone of Alaska Airlines’ announcement, don’t expect Wilson’s marketing for the airline to go viral anytime soon.

There’s no Kobe and Messi photo-bombing expected.

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Tags: alaska airlines, marketing

Photo credit: Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson joins the Alaska Airlines team as Chief Football Officer. Alaska Airlines

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