BIGGER THAN THE CLUB

Last updated : 17 June 2003 By editor

In Japan, David Beckham is bigger than Manchester United Plc, say his Japanese sponsors, and their allegiance will follow the England soccer star if he switches clubs.

Beckham arrives in Tokyo tomorrow for his latest round of appearances to help sell chocolates for Japan's largest confectionary maker, Meiji Seika Kaisha Ltd., and meet two other big sponsors including Vodafone Plc's J-Phone unit.

"His contract with us is as an individual so any move from Manchester United would not affect this arrangement,'' said Noriaki Hishiya, a spokesman for Meiji.

J-Phone, Japan's third-biggest mobile phone operator, is already altering its ad campaigns to focus on Beckham alone, rather than highlighting him in a red Manchester United shirt with its Vodafone logo. The latest ads displayed at street-side phone vendors in Tokyo instead depict Beckham in black and white photos wearing a plain shirt.

"Beckham is very famous in Japan and has wide appeal not just as a sports icon but as a fashion symbol,'' said J-Phone spokesman, Matthew Nicholson.

During his visit to Tokyo, Beckham will unveil a new chocolate product for Meiji and take questions from fans. He'll also join his wife Victoria in helping to promote the TBC chain of beauty clinics operated by closely held Komy Ltd. that offer services ranging from facial cleansing to hair removal.

If there is any allure lost in the transfer in Japan, it may be to Manchester United's image, companies said.

"The loss of Beckham to Manchester United will in the short term hurt sales,'' said Brendan McMahon, head of the Tokyo-based unit of FutureBrand Inc., a unit of Interpublic Group of Companies Inc., the world's largest advertising agency.