On November 5th in Edenbridge, U.K., a 30-foot
tall model of Lance Armstrong* was burned to celebrate Guy
Fawkes' failed plot to blow up the Parliament. The giant
Armstrong likeness held a Tour de France cup in one hand and a sign
in the other which read "For sale, racing bike, no longer
required." Prior to this bonfire, a host of corporations paid
Armstrong millions of dollars for an image not an effigy.
Those sponsors have now dropped Armstrong since a USADA
investigation – which ultimately led to a lifetime ban
– concluded that the cyclist took performance-enhancing drugs
during his run of seven consecutive first place finishes in the
Tour de France. The endorsement deals that paid Armstrong an
estimated $15 – $20 million in 2012 will pay him nearly zero
in 2013. Yet, Armstrong is likely to retain the earnings he
has already made under those endorsement deals. By thinking
through how a particular celebrity's image serves the needs of
the company, companies
