Nike’s celebrity endorsements dominate the sports world, study reveals
- Tiger Woods’ partnership with Nike is the most influential celebrity endorsement by a sports brand, with 36,509 average monthly searches.
- Michael Jordan’s Nike collaboration ranks as the fourth most influential celebrity sports brand endorsement, with 2,261 average monthly searches.
- Serena Williams, LeBron James, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Nike deals also all rank among the top 10 most influential celebrity endorsements by a sports brand.
New research has revealed the most influential celebrity endorsements by sports brands – and Tiger Woods’ partnership with Nike tops the list.
Digital marketing experts at Skyline Social analyzed Google searches related to popular sports brands’ celebrity endorsements to determine which ones have been the most influential.
They looked at the combined number of monthly searches for the following search term variations: celebrity + brand, [celebrity + brand] endorsement, [celebrity + brand] ad, [celebrity + brand] commercial and [celebrity + brand] advertising.
According to the findings, Tiger Woods’ collaboration with Nike is by far the most influential celebrity endorsement by a sports brand, with 36,509 average monthly searches.
Even though the partnership ended in April, it is still the most searched-for celebrity brand deal across America and in each US state. Woods promoted Nike’s athletic gear by wearing it on the course during wins in 82 PGA Tour events and 15 majors.
The professional golfer also starred in numerous commercials with the sports brand throughout the 27-year collaboration.
In one of the most memorable ads, Never, Woods’ father voices over a montage of his son playing golf, talking about the tactic he used to help him practice when he was younger.
Kevin Hart’s partnership with Fabletics is the second most influential celebrity endorsement by a sports brand, with 2,723 average monthly searches.
The comedy actor is partnered with the sportswear brand and creates humorous ads to promote the men’s activewear range.
Recently, Hart starred in a commercial with his son Kai for The Don Pant, in which Hart played the role of the ‘Don,’ before Druski appeared and stole the attention from him.
Dwayne Johnson’s Under Armour endorsement has the third-highest number of searches, with 2,484 average monthly searches.
Having become an ambassador for the sports brand in 2016, ‘The Rock’ announced the release of a new apparel line on Instagram in July. The marketing tactic was used to boost Under Armour’s social media presence.
Michael Jordan’s Nike brand deal is the fourth most influential celebrity endorsement at 2,261 average monthly searches.
The two partnered up in 1984, before Jordan became an NBA champion and before Nike became the world’s leading sports clothing brand.
The collaboration revolutionized athlete endorsements and proved exceptionally beneficial for both partners’ success in their industries, as the deal worked to gain massive exposure for Jordan and Nike.
Rounding out the top five is Serena Williams’ collaboration with Nike, which generates 2,153 average monthly searches.
The tennis star signed her first multi-year contract with Nike in 2004, and their partnership has gone from strength to strength ever since.
Williams launched a design apprenticeship program at Nike, Serena Williams Design Crew (SWDC), in 2019, which helps underprivileged children showcase their talents.
The 10 most influential celebrity endorsements by sports brands
|
Rank |
Celebrity endorsement |
Average monthly searches |
|
1. |
Tiger Woods (Nike) |
36,509 |
|
2. |
Kevin Hart (Fabletics) |
2,723 |
|
3. |
Dwayne Johnson (Under Armour) |
2,484 |
|
4. |
Michael Jordan (Nike) |
2,261 |
|
5. |
Serena Williams (Nike) |
2,153 |
|
6. |
LeBron James (Nike) |
2,105 |
|
7. |
Cristiano Ronaldo (Nike) |
1,811 |
|
8. |
Beyoncé (Adidas) |
1,765 |
|
9. |
Steph Curry (Under Armour) |
965 |
|
10. |
Tom Brady (Under Armour) |
718 |
The sixth most influential celebrity endorsement by a sports brand is LeBron James’ collaboration with Nike at 2,105 average monthly searches.
The NBA star first collaborated with Nike in 2003, signing an $87 million deal. In 2015, James solidified his partnership with the brand when he agreed to a lifetime contract worth approximately $1 billion.
His latest product with the brand, the Nike Lebron 22, is expected to be released during the Holiday 2024 season.
In seventh is Cristiano Ronaldo’s Nike collaboration at 1,811 average monthly searches.
Signed with Nike for over 20 years, Ronaldo reportedly earns around $24 million annually from his sports brand collaboration. He has sported over 35 individual football boot designs throughout his deal and promotes Nike while on the pitch.
Beyoncé’s brand deal with Adidas is the eighth most influential celebrity endorsement by a sports brand, with 1,765 average monthly searches.
Beyoncé was previously partnered with Adidas for her line Ivy Park; however, the collaboration ended in 2023 after the sales projections were massively missed.
Steph Curry’s collaboration with Under Armour is ninth at 965 average monthly searches.
The NBA All-Star initially signed with the sportswear brand in 2013 and promoted his signature shoe line.
The pair’s partnership has since progressed, and Curry is now the president of the Curry Brand, which sells shoes and clothing approved by the basketballer.
Tom Brady’s Under Armour partnership takes the tenth spot with 718 average monthly searches.
The football quarterback worked with Under Armour for 11 years, collaborating on projects such as developing Athlete Recovery Sleepwear.
Commenting on the findings, Ash Davis, CEO and Founder of Skyline Social, says,
“It is perhaps unsurprising that some brands are willing to spend big money to associate their brand with a high-profile name.
“Celebrity endorsements have proven to be an effective marketing strategy time and time again, significantly increasing brand awareness and helping companies stand out from their competitors.
“Nike and Under Armour appear to be especially good at using this marketing technique, as the two brands dominate the top ten.”
ENDS
Sources:
Google Keyword Planner
Methodology:
A list of 86 celebrity endorsements was compiled from desk research. These were then filtered to focus on celebrity deals with sports brands.
Google Keyword Planner was then used to find the combined number of monthly searches nationally and in each US state for keywords and phrases related to these celebrity endorsements.
The following five search term variations were used:
- [celebrity + brand]
- [celebrity + brand] advertising
- [celebrity + brand] endorsement
- [celebrity + brand] ad
- [celebrity + brand] commercial
If using this story, please credit and link to: https://www.skylinesocial.com – a linked credit allows us to keep supplying you with future content that you may find helpful.
Celebrity endorsements ranked by number of monthly searches
|
Rank |
Celebrity endorsement |
Average monthly searches |
|
1. |
Tiger Woods (Nike) |
36,509 |
|
2. |
Kim Kardashian (SKIMS) |
11,798 |
|
3. |
Kendall Jenner (Pepsi) |
8,131 |
|
4. |
Ryan Reynolds (Mint Mobile) |
7,717 |
|
5. |
Travis Scott (McDonald’s) |
4,495 |
|
6. |
Pharrell Williams (Louis Vuitton) |
3,906 |
|
7. |
Justin Bieber (Calvin Klein) |
3,633 |
|
8. |
Shaquille O’Neal (Papa John’s) |
3,597 |
|
9. |
Kevin Hart (Fabletics) |
2,723 |
|
10. |
Jennifer Garner (Capital One) |
2,528 |
|
11. |
George Clooney (Nespresso) |
2,509 |
|
12. |
Timothee Chalamet (Chanel) |
2,496 |
|
13. |
Dwayne Johnson (Under Armour) |
2,484 |
|
14. |
Shaquille O’Neal (Icy Hot) |
2,302 |
|
15. |
Michael Jordan (Nike) |
2,261 |
|
16. |
Dua Lipa (Versace) |
2,231 |
|
17. |
Serena Williams (Nike) |
2,153 |
|
18. |
Matthew McConaughey (Lincoln) |
2,107 |
|
19. |
LeBron James (Nike) |
2,105 |
|
20. |
Snoop Dogg (Corona) |
1,918 |
|
21. |
Michael B. Jordan (Coach) |
1,854 |
|
22. |
Cristiano Ronaldo (Nike) |
1,811 |
|
23. |
Beyonce (Adidas) |
1,765 |
|
24. |
Charlize Theron (Dior) |
1,698 |
|
25. |
Taylor Swift (Diet Coke) |
1,590 |
|
26. |
Taylor Swift (Coca-Cola) |
1,570 |
|
27. |
Robert Pattinson (Dior) |
1,476 |
|
28. |
Zendaya (Lancôme) |
1,332 |
|
29. |
Ryan Gosling (TAG Heuer) |
1,187 |
|
30. |
Beyonce (Pepsi) |
1,017 |
|
31. |
Jennifer Lopez (Coach) |
1,008 |
|
32. |
Jennifer Lopez (Intimissimi) |
974 |
|
33. |
Steph Curry (Under Armour) |
965 |
|
34. |
Natalie Portman (Dior) |
867 |
|
35. |
Emma Stone (Louis Vuitton) |
838 |
|
36. |
Roger Federer (Rolex) |
813 |
|
37. |
Tom Brady (Under Armour) |
718 |
|
38. |
Julia Roberts (Lancôme) |
708 |
|
39. |
Matthew McConaughey (Wild Turkey) |
704 |
|
40. |
Selena Gomez (Puma) |
689 |
|
41. |
Selena Gomez (Coca-Cola) |
674 |
|
42. |
Jennifer Aniston (Smartwater) |
661 |
|
43. |
Rihanna (Louis Vuitton) |
587 |
|
44. |
Brad Pitt (Chanel) |
584 |
|
45. |
David Beckham (Adidas) |
520 |
|
46. |
Selena Gomez (Coach) |
513 |
|
47. |
John Cena (Experian) |
498 |
|
48. |
Chris Hemsworth (Hugo Boss) |
493 |
|
49. |
Mila Kunis (Jim Beam) |
489 |
|
50. |
Catherine Zeta-Jones (T-Mobile) |
413 |
|
51. |
Nicole Kidman (Chanel) |
404 |
|
52. |
Charlize Theron (Dior) |
397 |
|
53. |
Aubrey Plaza (Loewe) |
393 |
|
54. |
Justin Timberlake (McDonald’s) |
371 |
|
55. |
Jennifer Aniston (Emirates) |
365 |
|
56. |
George Clooney (Omega) |
353 |
|
57. |
Usain Bolt (Puma) |
315 |
|
58. |
Gal Gadot (Revlon) |
308 |
|
59. |
Ellen DeGeneres (CoverGirl) |
266 |
|
60. |
Zendaya (CoverGirl) |
259 |
|
61. |
Blake Lively (L’Oréal) |
228 |
|
62. |
Maria Sharapova (Nike) |
218 |
|
63. |
Leonardo DiCaprio (TAG Heuer) |
205 |
|
64. |
Lady Gaga (Tiffany & Co.) |
197 |
|
65. |
Katy Perry (Proactiv) |
183 |
|
66. |
Emma Watson (Lancôme) |
174 |
|
67. |
Jay Z (Samsung) |
173 |
|
68. |
Will Smith (Just Water) |
172 |
|
69. |
Scarlett Johansson (Dolce & Gabbana) |
149 |
|
70. |
Serena Williams (Bumble) |
118 |
|
71. |
Nicole Kidman (Neutrogena) |
115 |
|
72. |
Priyanka Chopra (Pantene) |
113 |
|
73. |
Dwayne Wade (Li-Ning) |
102 |
|
74. |
Hugh Jackman (Montblanc) |
101 |
|
75. |
Brad Pitt (Heineken) |
98 |
|
76. |
Ashton Kutcher (Lenovo) |
93 |
|
77. |
Camila Morrone (Calvin Klein) |
73 |
|
78. |
Mark Wahlberg (AT&T) |
66 |
|
79. |
Justin Bieber (OPI) |
46 |
|
80. |
Julia Roberts (Calzedonia) |
45 |
|
81. |
Tiesto (7UP) |
35 |
|
82. |
Regina Hall (Jameson) |
27 |
|
83. |
Oprah Winfrey (Apple) |
25 |
|
84. |
Gwyneth Paltrow (Hugo Boss) |
18 |
|
85. (=) |
Britney Spears (Pepsi) |
0 |
|
85. (=) |
Amy Schumer (Tampax) |
0 |
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Author: David Keech
David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at [email protected]
