Bryant Will Re-Enter Ad Market

Carl’s Jr. restaurants will sell Kobe Bryant bobblehead dolls next month, marking the first time a company has actively marketed Bryant since the Laker guard was charged with sexual assault in July 2003.

Bryant will be one of five Laker bobblehead dolls sold as part of a promotion at 350 restaurants in Los Angeles and Orange County.

“Obviously, in the spirit of Martha [Stewart], once you’ve sort of eradicated yourself from your court proceedings and done your time or paid your fine, it changes the landscape a bit,” said Paul Swangard of the Warsaw school of sports marketing at the University of Oregon.

A criminal charge was dropped against Bryant in September. Bryant and his accuser settled a civil lawsuit last week, ending a 20-month period in which he lost many endorsements.

McDonald’s Corp. did not renew a deal with Bryant that expired in December 2003. Nutella also dropped Bryant as a pitchman for its hazelnut spread, and Coca-Cola Co. has devoted most of its advertising and promotion to Cleveland Cavalier star LeBron James, not Bryant, whose deal with the soft-drink company expires later this year, according to Sports Business Daily.

Renae Scott, vice president of regional marketing and media for Carl’s Jr., said the restaurant chain didn’t anticipate “any negativity at all” with the Bryant promotion.

“We’ve focused in on Kobe’s performance on the court and his popularity as a player and now maybe everybody else will do that too,” she said.

The restaurant will sell a different Laker bobblehead every week, beginning with Lamar Odom next Wednesday. Other Lakers to be sold are Chris Mihm, Caron Butler and Luke Walton.

Bryant’s bobblehead will be on sale April 13-19, for as long as they last at each restaurant. About 400 of each player will be available for $4.99 each with the purchase of a value meal at individual restaurants. Scott said the decision to use Bryant was reached late last year, several months before his civil suit was settled.