David Beckham Gets First Taste of American Football with Super Bowl Underwear Ad

Still from the ad campaign for H&M's new David Beckham bodywear collection, which will debut with a 30-second spot during this year's Super Bowl. (image source: h&m)

Tight pants, thick pads, and shiny helmets. You shouldn’t be asking why David Beckham is being associated with American football, but rather what took him so long?

PSG fans might be feeling snubbed these days, but Becks is an American now – like Arnold Schwarzenegger. Sure, he could have done the big, bold, and brash in Paris, but not like here in the States. And to prove my point, tune in to the NFL’s big game to see Beckham in retailer H&M’s first foray into Super Bowl advertisements.

LA Galaxy midfielder and England international David Beckham will be featured in a 30-second television commercial debuting during the 2nd Quarter of Super Bowl XLVI. The spot will launch his new “bodywear” collection.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I had to Google bodywear. I mean, you put your clothes on your body, so shouldn’t all clothes be considered bodywear? Well, it turns out that bodywear is what we call underwear (or what some of us still call crusties…you know who you are). The full line can be seen here. And the prices are quite reasonable.

“Working with a team has always been a key part of my life and I found that to be the same when developing this range. Collectively with my design team we spent time working on the feel, fit and style to ensure the product is not only something I would wear but one which I would be proud to put my name to. I always want to challenge myself and this was such a rewarding experience for me. I’m very happy with the end result and I hope H&M’s male customers will be as excited as I am,” said football and fashion icon David Beckham.

“We’re always looking for new ways to surprise and delight our customers, and we see this as a unique opportunity to reach millions of fans and H&M customers. David Beckham is a true style icon and one of the most decorated soccer players of all time,” said Steve Lubomski, Director of Marketing for H&M North America. “We’re thrilled with this campaign and excited to captivate viewers’ attention during the Super Bowl, the biggest stage in the world to unveil our ad campaign.”

Here's a peek at David Beckham's underwear; I'm no tailor, but if you order a size too small, I bet you'll be able to bend it like Beckham. (image source: h&m)

H&M has announced a long-term alliance with David Beckham, which kicks-off with the introduction of his bodywear collection on February 2, 2012 in 1,800 H&M stores worldwide. That’s right, you could actually be wearing his underwear when the ad debuts during the Super Bowl on February 5, 2012.

Although Beckham Bodywear has a nice ring to it, I couldn’t help but think that there might be a catchier alternative. Beckwear? Underham? And since H&M is headquartered in Sweden, why no Zlatan Ibrahimovic collection? Zlatan sounds like a perfect name for a men’s line. Ideal for the gangly Big Birds rocking that pirate look. After all, not everyone can be as polished as Becks. But David Beckham Bodywear is a good place to start.