Britain's female beach volleyball champions are renting out their rears in an advertising deal that encourages spectators to photograph their behinds.
Zara Dampney, 24, and Shauna Mullin, 26, have turned their bottoms into their bottom line by wearing bikini briefs with a Quick Response (QR) code printed on the back where it will catch the eye of spectators.
When photographed on a smartphone, the code takes the user to a specific website - in this case, for bookmakers Betfair.
Bottoms up: Shauna Mullin, left and Zara Dampney, show off the new advertising that features a Quick Response code on their bottoms
The professional players complained only last week that Brits still see female beach volleyball players as sex symbols rather than sports stars.
But despite their declared determination to get away from their 'Baywatch with balls' image, the British champions' unique advertising deal encourages spectators to photograph their bottoms.
Tthe bikini-clad duo - Britain's first-choice beach volleyball pairing for London 2012 - are believed to have been paid a substantial five figure sum by betting firm Betfair for sponsorship rights to their behinds.
It is part of a sponsorship deal struck by Betfair with Dampney and Mullin, who are ranked 26th in the world.
Money matters: Betting firm Betfair are believed to be paying the professional players a substantial five figure sum for sponsorship rights to their behinds
It is set to be trailed at pre-Olympics test matches held at Horse Guards parade this weekend to test the Olympics venue a year ahead of the London 2012 beach volleyball tournament.
Betfair's Andy Lulham said: 'There is huge interest in beach volleyball and we want to ensure that our advertising campaign is seen and remembered by as many sports fans as possible.
'As far as we're aware this is the first time QR codes have been used in in-play sports advertising and what better way to test its effectiveness than by putting them on one of the places that is likely to get photographed the most.'
Fans at the test tournament, running from tomorrow until August 14, will automatically be directed to Betfair's website when they take a snap of the players' bottoms with a smartphone.
Backtracking: Last week Zara Dampney, above and Shauna Mullin said that they wanted their sport to be taken more seriously in Britain
It is believed to be the first time that sportspeople have agreed to wear such a printed code.
The pair - ranked 26th in the world - said last week that they wanted their sport to be taken more seriously in Britain.
Mullin, who has a degree in marketing, complained: 'We go to countries such as Brazil, Germany and the USA where beach volleyball is a recognised sport like football or rugby is in England.
'But here in England we are still stuck at the stage where people think beach volleyball is about sex, not a sport.'
Similarly, law graduate Dampney said: 'A lot of people don't value it as a sport or assume we don't even have any decent beaches in England. But this is not a hobby.
Strike a pose: It is hoped the location of the barcode will encourage spectators to take photos on their smartphones which will direct them to a specific website
'We are professional athletes who train five or six days a week. We do all the same things, gym, nutrition, video analysis, physio as other athletes.
'We hope the Olympic test event will be a chance to get across what the sport is actually about and how athletic and exciting it is.'
The sport's rules demand that female players wear a top 'closely fitted to the body' and briefs with 'a side width no greater than 7cm.'
Betfair's Andy Lulham commented: 'There is huge interest in beach volleyball and we want to ensure that our advertising campaign is seen and remembered by as many sports fans as possible.
'As far as we're aware this is the first time QR codes have been used in in-play sports advertising and what better way to test its effectiveness than by putting them on one of the places that is likely to get photographed the most.'
However, the barcoded kit will not be displayed during matches played at the Olympic Games, as any branding other than simple manufacturers' logos is not allowed.
As the week's event will be a test match, the sportswomen are allowed to take sponsorship.
Athletic ambition: Zara and Shauna, who are ranked 26th in the world want to move up ten places by next summer in time for London 2012
Women's beach volleyball will be among the hottest tickets in town next summer, ranking alongside the men's 100m showdown in popularity.
Britain's corporates have been rushing to secure their clients top seats at what they see as the most entertaining event of the whole Olympics.
Hospitality organisers report that the sport is the most sought after ticket for the Games.
Male beach volleyball players are not required to wear such revealing attire.
Dampney and Mullin will be the only European pairing at Visa FIVB Beach Volleyball International, which kicks-off on August 9 and has attracted interest from the world's best teams including America, Brazil and Australia.
Both women took up indoor volleyball at school before switching to the beach event when the Olympic programme was set up after London won the bid in 2005.
Now full-time, lottery-funded athletes, they spend much of the year on the world tour and aim to be ranked at least 16th by next summer.
That would win them automatic Olympic entry and free up the wild-card that Britain earns as Games hosts for second-string pair Denise Johns and Lucy Boulton.
The favourites for Olympic gold are millionaires American superstar Kerri Walsh - world number one and already a double Olympic gold medallist - and her partner Misty May-Treanor.
Dampney said: 'It won't be easy to get on the podium next summer but there is a chance. Anything is possible on the day.
'But we will never have a better chance than London 2012. And when the venue was announced we knew it was going to be a big thing. The location is iconic and we have the chance to revolutionise the way our sport is seen in this country.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2023726/Beach-volleyball-stars-sign-deal-advertising-bikini-clad-behinds.html#ixzz1UcbHVJXN
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