Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is the new face of L'Oreal Paris Men Expert.  The commercial was launched just before the World Cup in South Africa and is featuring van Nistelrooy as an enthusiastic supporter of the Orange team. A slogan of the campaign is "Ruud supports Orange & Men Expert supports you!" 

Celebrity brand endorsement is well known practice in branding.  Rule says that brand-celebrity partnership is successful, if the personal credibility of the celebrity is in place.

In this commercial Ruud van Nistelrooy answers to his real “life” challenges.  A month ago, a Dutch team coach Bert van Marwijk announced that due to contusion van van Nistelrooy will not be a part of Dutch team in Souch Africa. This decision was widely commented by van Nisterlooy supporters.  And suddenly Ruud comes back in L'Oreal commercial.

Once again Ruud van Nistelrooy is a friendly football hero who goes to the extreme with a straightforward no-nonsense attitude to support his team, even he is not longer a member of it. Does he have credibility to support a brand? I say, yes, plenty:)