Revealed: How much Raygun made from her first big sponsorship deal - as she reveals what she's doing to pay the bills
- Became an international name after Paris Olympics
- Shot down reports she has retired from breaking
The Raygun show continues to roll on following her disastrous yet iconic performance at the Paris Olympics, with the breakdancer pocketing a big payday off the back of her fame - but not so big that she can give up her day job.
Rachael Gunn, 36, rose to international fame after failing to score during breaking's Olympic debut in Paris.
Her performance, which included moves like kangaroo hopping, snake-like slithering, and the classic Aussie 'sprinkler' dance, stirred mixed reactions.
'To be honest, I haven't watched it back because I don't usually like watching myself anyway, but also, the camera angles are pretty bad,' Gunn told the Sydney Morning Herald .
'It didn't do me justice; it's not a representation of who I am as a dancer, but these days, I am in the business of looking forward, not looking back.'
Raygun rolled the dice on a distinctly Australian performance in breaking's debut at the Olympics, but while it scored her zero points, it also earned her a legion of new fans
Raygun is pictured with musician Reuben Styles from Peking Duk as guests at a Sydney FC A-League match
Despite this divisive response, the Macquarie University lecturer and PhD holder has captured significant attention, making her a prime candidate for lucrative endorsement deals.
Marketing and PR expert Max Markson predicts that, while Gunn may be a controversial figure in Australia, major global brands are likely eager to leverage her newfound profile.
'She has an enormous brand,' he told Daily Mail Australia.
'Her reputation in Australia isn't that great, but she is famous across the world.
'She will get international offers from sports shoe brands, like Adidas or Puma, food companies like McDonald's or KFC, electric cars like BYD, and she will get a phone company like Telstra or Optus or Vodafone.'
Raygun has been happy to do the television circuit, but she will not be adding reality TV to her resume
Gunn has landed her first official endorsement since that performance in Paris, a brand partnership with Finder the Marxon said is worth about $50,000.
'I had to wait for everyone to calm down before I could show that I was up for having a laugh and start these kinds of brand deals,' Gunn said.
'This campaign has been great because it encourages people to be authentic, which is precisely what I was doing in Paris.'
While more endorsement deals are likely to be tabled, Raygun revealed that she has returned to her job as a lecturer at Macquarie University.
'I'm still marking papers to pay the bills; I have a whole stack to mark right now,' she said.
'And I still enjoy research and being in the classroom.'
But one thing you won't find the academic doing is taking up the riches on offer through reality television, with Raygun confirming she had already turned down several offers.
'You surrender how you're represented, and I feel I've already gone through that,' she said.
'I much prefer live television, panels and talk shows, where you can engage with the energy of people around you.
'There is a lot to figure out, and I have family and friends to help me with those decisions, but I'm in a much better place than I was after the Olympics figured, and that's the main thing.
'What I care about is that people have the confidence to be themselves.'
