Chicago Bulls legend Dennis Rodman had one of the most eccentric NBA careers both on and off the court. A 5-time NBA champion, the serial winner had an eventful life that included a range of controversies, high-profile relationships, and downright crazy incidents. For example, in order to promote his book “Bad As I Wanna Be,” Rodman publicly wore a wedding gown and ended up marrying himself, back in 1996. Years later, in 2005, he stripped down for a $2,500,000 Super Bowl commercial for the Cosentino countertops company, according to his book, “I Should Be Dead By Now.”
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The 1996 book promotion saw Rodman wear a wedding gown that was worth $10,000. He spruced up the look with a range of accessories and traveled in a horse-drawn carriage into a Barnes & Noble on Fifth Avenue in New York. The crazy look and the concept of marrying himself led to exactly the type of media attention that he had hoped for.
Dennis Rodman stripped down for a 30-second countertop commercial in 2005
Rodman was a global phenomenon throughout his NBA career. Part of the reason was his ability to do bold and crazy things, apparent during his playing days as well.
Apart from the wedding gown incident, this translated to Rodman stripping down for a Super Bowl commercial. He was one of multiple celebrities who acted for the company Cosentino. Rodman can be seen towards the end bathing in a bathtub, and utters the tagline, “I am Diana Pearl,” which was one of the offered colors for countertops. In his book, I Should Be Dead By Now, Rodman explained how he was paid $2.5 million for the ad:
“A final sign that Dennis Rodman was going mainstream was my appearance in a Super Bowl commercial in 2005. The 30-second spot for Silestone quartz countertops featured Chicago sports legends Mike Ditka, William “Refrigerator” Perry, Jim McMahon, and me. I’m the one with the orange hair taking a bubble bath. In the spot, I claim to be “Diana Pearl,” which was actually the name of one of the countertop colors. The company paid almost $2.5 million to air the spot, and it was a milestone in my celebrity rep career.”- Quote from Dennis Rodman in ‘I Should Be Dead By Now’
The payment and the ad represented a big milestone in his celebrity rap career. Since then, Rodman has featured in multiple rap songs and has even released a couple of songs of his own.
Rodman was always a highly marketable global icon
The way Rodman got things done in the NBA led to a successful career despite his off-the-court troubles. He won his first NBA title with the Detroit Pistons and added 4 more with Michael Jordan and the Bulls.
Dennis Rodman’s eccentric activities off the court meant that he was always a media sensation. Due to his popularity, Rodman was involved in promotions and ads for various major companies. This includes Planet Fitness, Converse, and Pizza Hut.
Apart from the marketability, he was also known to have dated celebrities such as Madonna, Carmen Electra and Yella Yella. Additionally, Rodman continued to be a highly marketable figure even after retiring. This is something that his off-field antics played a part in.
