George Foreman, though not the inventor of the Foreman Grill, capitalized on its branding, earning him more than his boxing career. Invented by Michael Boehm in the 90s, sales skyrocketed when Foreman, with his charisma and familiar persona, became its face. Foreman earned $8 million a month at his peak and sold the rights to his name in 1999 for $113.7 million, far surpassing his biggest boxing payday. His success story exemplifies the power of branding over invention. Foreman's legacy isn't just in the ring but also in kitchens worldwide.
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00:00George Foreman didn't invent this grill, but it made him richer than boxing ever did.
00:04Foreman knocked out legends in the ring, but the biggest win of his life came after retirement,
00:09standing next to a countertop grill. He didn't build it. He didn't design it. He became the
00:13face for it, and that changed everything. The iconic grill was invented by Michael
00:17Bohm in the 90s. But when Foreman got involved, sales exploded. His charisma,
00:22that smile, and his familiarity made an epic comeback story that sold over 100 million
00:27worldwide. At his peak, Foreman was earning $8 million a month just to endorse the product.
00:33In 1999, the company bought the rights to his name for $113.7 million. That's on top of years
00:38where he and his partners earned 60% of the profits. And get this, his biggest boxing payday
00:43was a $12.5 million fight against Holyfield. Not even close to what the grill made him.
00:48His biggest knockout wasn't in the ring. It was in your kitchen. Foreman didn't invent the grill,
00:52but he mastered branding and became trusted. He showed you don't need a patent to own the
00:56public's imagination. So, would you rather be the inventor or the icon? Drop your thoughts below
01:01and follow Benzinga for more stories where brand meets brilliance.