The collaboration of luxury brands and athletes as their ambassadors has been popular since the time Nike released the first Air Jordan shoe when Michael Jordan used to play for the Chicago Bulls.
Years later, the partnership and marketing tactic of luxury brands roping in athletes as brand ambassadors continues to generate buzz amongst sports fanatics and makes for a profitable collaboration between the brands and the athletes.
Brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Burberry have often collaborated with athletes as brand ambassadors, and so have beauty brands like Estee Lauder. In one of their pieces, Sportico mentioned data from KORE — a software brand —which stated that 72% of a brand’s value drivers are sportspersons and that 76% of active athletes on social media platforms have endorsed at least one brand.
Since athletes are influential and have a global fanbase, roping them in as ambassadors becomes a mutually profitable relationship for both parties as it helps the brand gain traction and helps the athletes connect to their fans.
This article purely reflects the writer’s opinion. We may have missed out on a few of your favorite athletes who are ambassadors for luxury brands. Please let us know in the comments.
4 popular athletes roped in as ambassadors for luxury brands
Team SK has compiled a list of the four best athletes who are making headlines as brand ambassadors of luxury brands:
- Victor Wembanyama for Louis Vuitton
- Aaron Judge for Ralph Lauren
- Lewis Hamilton for Tommy Hilfiger
- Son Heung-min for Burberry
1) Victor Wembanyama for Louis Vuitton:
French basketball player Victor Wembanyama was recently roped in as the brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton in February 2024. The designer brand released a statement regarding the same stating:
“Striving for excellence and with a perpetual honing of craft, Victor joins Louis Vuitton on a journey of shared values and aligned ambitions. Like Louis Vuitton himself, the young athlete has blazed a trail, excelling in a career that is only just beginning.”
Wembanyama is one of the most hyped rookies in the NBA and he reached out to Louis Vuitton to make his suit during the NBA Draft.
2) Aaron Judge for Ralph Lauren:
Outfielder for the New York Yankees of Major League Baseball, Aaron Judge made headlines as the face of Ralph Lauren’s new scent of men — the Polo EST. 67, comprising notes of citrus, vetiver, pineapple accord, and bergamot.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Aaron Judge stated:
“I always dreamed of working with Ralph Lauren… [So] it is such an honor to be the face of the campaign because it’s all about following your dreams no matter what, which is something that I can truly relate to with my experiences in life and sports.”
The luxury brand stated that there was no better choice than Aaron Judge to front the ‘Design Your Dreams’ campaign as he is the epitome of the power of determination and grit.
3) Lewis Hamilton for Tommy Hilfiger:
Seven-time F1 world champion, Lewis Hamilton was announced as Tommy Hilfiger’s brand ambassador in 2018 with the luxury brand’s Spring 2018 collection.
In the brand’s press release announcing Hamilton as the brand ambassador, Tommy Hilfiger mentioned that Hamilton has built his career as a racing driver with dedication, passion, and extreme hard work, which are the values that Hilfiger embraced when he found the brand.
4) Son Heung-min for Burberry:
South Korean footballer Son Heung-min who became the first Asian player to win the Golden Boot in the Premier League, was tapped as Burberry’s ambassador in 2022.
Son Heung-min was photographed in the luxury brand’s Pre Autumn/ Winter 2022 collection in the Burberry press release announcing him as the brand ambassador. Burberry choice of Son Heung-min was made owing to this performance in the English Premier League, aliging with the brand’s image rooted in British heritage.
Luxury brands often collaborate with popular celebrities and lately have been partnering with athletes to generate traction and create a buzz among sports enthusiasts.