Last week Gillette unveiled its first TV campaign titled “Gillette Champions” with Tiger Woods, Thierry Henry and Roger Federer.

The 30-second international spot, created by BBDO, comes after David Beckham’s 3-year £40m contract came to an end last June. The football star reportedly turned down Gillette’s offer of a new £3m contract, with insistence on a profit share rather than a flat fee.

The ad features a montage of great moments from each sportsman’s career, followed by each athlete shaving with a Gillette Fusion Power razor, and ending with the tag line “Prepare to be your best today”. Gillette claims the two-year deals with the three sportsmen are part of a strategy to bring in a range of sports stars to give the brand resonance with more consumers.

Gillette said the new adverts with the trio of sports stars is its ‘largest sports marketing campaign’ in its 108-year history. The company signed the sports trio in 2006 on two-year deals as part of an attempt to sign up a broader range of different sports stars to give the brand wider exposure.

“They were chosen for both their outstanding sporting performances and also their performances off the field, in their charitable actions, support of social causes and for their reputations as icons of true sporting values,” said Nathan Homer, Gillette brand manager.

The ad broke in the UK on Channel 4, E4, ITV2, Sky Sports 1 and Sky One, with concentration around sports programs.