Zara and Mike Tindall have been unveiled as the ambassadors for ‘digital health passports’ designed to get sport up and running in a deal worth £200,000, according to experts.
The Queen’s granddaughter, 39, and her rugby ace husband, 41, have been appointed ‘global sports ambassadors’ for VST Enterprises, which has developed a digital health passport which could allow professional athletes with a negative Covid status to travel across the world during the pandemic.
The new deal is just the latest in a long line of sponsorships and brand collaborations for the Queen’s granddaughter, who is able to use her unique position of being a part of the royal family but not having a title to maximum advantage.
FEMAIL spoke to branding expert and PR agency owner Claire Shiels, who revealed how the couple’s ‘untarnished reputations, general likability and superb sporting performances’ could have helped them nab the £200,000 role.
Zara, 39, and Mike Tindall, 41, have signed a deal to become ambassadors for a health passport firm working to help athletes get back to sport after the coronavirus crisis
Claire explained: ‘VST Enterprises could be the much needed solution to kickstart sporting events again following the immediate and potentially disastrous ban, caused by Covid-19.
‘Professional sportspeople, managers, event organisers and fans will be delighted to hear of plans to launch a new digital health passport which, it is hoped, will allow events to once again take place, albeit in a controlled, socially distanced and safe manner.’
She continued: ‘Mike and Zara Tindall are the perfect choice to be celebrity ambassadors for this technology.
‘Their untarnished reputations, general likability and superb sporting performances alongside the royal connection means they are a solid, trustworthy option.’
The royal couple will represent the firm, which hopes it’s digital passports will help professional athletes get back to work
‘Whilst celebrity ambassadors can earn from £30,000 to millions depending on their celebrity status and the brand they’re representing, I’d expect the Tindalls to earn in the region of £200,000 for their part in promoting this new technology.’
Meanwhile Neil Kent, branding and PR expert and Managing Director of Chapter Communications, said the couple may well have ‘lost revenue’ from cancelled appearances during the coronavirus crisis.
He said: ‘The Tindall’s find themselves in lockdown like the rest of the UK and have no doubt lost revenue from cancelled upcoming event appearances and media activities.
‘This partnership with VSTE allows them to align themselves with a business at the cutting edge of tech innovation, working towards bringing sports back in a safe and responsible way.
The couple will represent a series of sports, including rugby, horse racing, equestrian, golf and luxury lifestyle brands
‘It is a great opportunity for them to lend their voices – from the safety of their own home – to a project that, if successful, will be seen as a triumph for British sport.’
The royals will represent the firm in rugby, horse racing, equestrian, golf and luxury lifestyle brands, with Mike explaining: ‘I think everyone from across the sporting world would be delighted if this technology could help get sports teams back to their respective competition leagues and complete their seasons.’
The brand believe a valid negative Covid-19 status on a health passport could allow athletes to resume travel across countries and borders without the need for quarantines.
The digital health passport works in conjunction with a Government approved Covid-19 testing kit to authenticate a persons heath status after taking the test.
Zara, who inherited her mother Princess Anne’s imperious independence, has a series of brand deals including Land Rover and Musto
The technology, which is GDPR and data compliant, gives a traffic light system to confirm test positive (Red) test negative (Green) and a countdown timer to the next test (Amber).
Zara revealed: ‘I think the potential of this technology is really interesting and has so many uses across the horse racing and equestrian worlds from horse passports and bloodstock sales to tickets for the horse racing season.’
Meanwhile Mike explained: ‘The work that VSTE are doing with health passports to help get UK sports teams back into professional competition is a great idea. ‘
The brand are currently in talks with governing bodies to use the health passport to help resume sporting fixtures and events.
The Premier League is also among those considering using the technology ahead of the return of professional football in June.
Mother-of-two Zara is also a brand ambassador for Rolex, Land Rover and Musto, and has her own jewellery range with Australian brand Cajella, and experts estimate they could be worth a combined £1.1M or more a year.
Zara, who has inherited her mother the Princess Royal’s rather imperious independence, has pressed ahead with any number of lucrative deals over the years and is seen by envious fellow royals as being well on the way to being wealthy in her own right.