Epress.am News from Armenia
L.A.’s Armenian community are booing Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant’s latest endorsement deal, reports losangeles.cbslocal.com.
Despite the huge fan base, Bryant has in the Armenian community, members of the Armenian Youth Federation say they’ve received dozens of calls from outraged fans as news spread of the deal.
Turkish Airlines has signed Bryant as its “global brand ambassador” for the next two years. Bryant will begin appearing in Turkish Airlines advertisements in the U.S. and Middle East early next year.
“We got nonstop calls to the office,” says Casper Jivalagian of the Armenian Youth Federation. “They’re all like, ‘what are you guys going to do about this?’”
The Armenian community holds annual marches to commemorate the Armenian Genocide, and calls on Turkey to acknowledge their role in the genocide.
“Ninety-five percent, if not 100 percent, of those people are all Laker fans, and he should know that, he should know better than to put his money before his morality,” Artek Santikian said.
The two-year deal will involve Bryant starring in a promotional film that will be aired on international television channels and in movie theatres in more than 80 countries next year. Turkish Airlines will also begin offering flights from L.A. The company will also use Bryant in digital, print and billboard advertising.