Welcome to Out2Win’s Weekly Report!

In This Week’s Edition:

• Interview with Chipotle’s VP of Brand Marketing: Insights into how Chipotle leverages athlete marketing to enhance their brand.

• Athleisure Brand Partnership Analysis: An exploration of the top five athleisure athlete-influencer collaborations, plus three athlete recommendations for brands.

• Juju Watkins Marketability Breakdown: A detailed look at Nike and Gatorade’s rising star, analyzing her social media impact and market appeal.

• Jalen Milroe Trending NIL Partnership: An examination of Alabama’s star quarterback and his brand collaborations.

🌯 EXCLUSIVE: Inside Chipotle's Athlete Marketing Strategy

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of interviewing Stephanie Sotelo Perdue, VP of Marketing at Chipotle, to explore their athlete marketing strategy.

You won't want to miss the fascinating journey of how the brand has evolved and thrived through its partnerships with athletes!

Full Interview with Stephanie Perdue, VP of Brand Marketing

Looking back at Chipotle's journey into athlete partnerships, who was your first athlete-influencer collaboration, and what factors led to that choice?

In 2020, soccer star and Chipotle superfan Christian Pulisic became one of the first professional athletes to partner with the brand. While Christian was playing professionally in Germany, he would frequently drive over an hour to eat at the nearest Chipotle restaurant.

In 2022, Christian starred in our first national television ad during soccer's biggest international tournament. We also featured Christian’s go-to training meal, The Christian Pulisic Bowl, as a limited-time digital menu item during the entirety of the tournament.

Among your diverse portfolio of athlete partnerships, which one has resonated most strongly with Chipotle's brand values and why?

As part of our broader mission to Cultivate a Better World, one of our key brand strategies is to increase access to real food. Our first-of-its-kind partnership with Ohio State student athletes helps us achieve this by rewarding all Buckeye athletes with free Chipotle throughout their respective athletic seasons.

How does your approach differ when activating NIL partnerships with collegiate athletes like Jeremiah Smith compared to collaborations with professional athletes such as Sophia Smith?

Through our NIL deals with college athletes, we showcase how the next generation of elite athletes relies on Chipotle as part of their training and preparation for the pros. Our partnerships with professional athletes are focused on pivotal moments in their careers, whether it’s getting ready for their pro draft or being on the precipice of a breakthrough new level of achievement. This timeliness allows us to demonstrate how Chipotle and our real ingredients have supported the unique journey of each athlete from college to the pros.

Regarding the recent deal with Ohio State athletics to support all student-athletes, what long-term impact do you envision this having on both Chipotle's brand and the school’s collegiate athletes involved?

Our OSU partnership further underscores the fact that elite athletes rely on Chipotle’s real ingredients to fuel their success. This partnership also strengthens our connection to Columbus, a community where one of our two Restaurant Support Centers is in the city’s Arena District.

How do you ensure that your athlete partnerships resonate with Chipotle's diverse customer base across different regions and demographics?

Our Real Food for Real Athletes platform focuses on supporting athletes across all levels by providing proper nutrition through real food and fresh ingredients. To have this message resonate with consumers, it’s essential for us to partner with superfan athletes who represent a variety of sports and markets.

📈 Top Athlete-Influencer Partnerships: Athleisure Brands

In the world of athleisure, partnering with athletes has long been a natural fit. Now, in the NIL era, forward-thinking brands are adapting their strategies to effectively engage the Gen Z audience through collaborations with college athletes who excel at captivating audiences on social media.

These partnerships feature authentic training sessions, creative skits, and timely execution to promote the brand’s products effectively. Here are our favorite athleisure athlete-influencer partnerships so far this year!

Partnership Insights

Lululemon X Jeremiah Smith | 1.9M Reel Plays
Executional Breakdown: Lululemon teamed up with freshman star receiver Jeremiah Smith before he skyrocketed to fame this season, showcasing him using their products in both his training routines and daily lifestyle.

Rhoback X Quinn Ewers | 1M Reel Plays
Executional Breakdown: As part of their Rhoback U initiative, Rhoback made Quinn Ewers the face of their brand. In this creative content piece, he replicates an Olympic target shooting event using football throws.

Vuori X Livvy Dunne | 425K Reel Plays
Executional Breakdown: Vuori has partnered with Livvy Dunne since 2021, and this year, they celebrated her championship win at LSU by documenting her inspiring gymnastics journey.

BYLT X Cyrus Habibi-Likio | 105K Reel Plays
Executional Breakdown: BYLT collaborated with former Oregon running back Cyrus Habibi-Likio in a comedic skit featuring him being humorously chased by the police while sporting their gear.

Alo Men X Emeka Ebguka | 57K Reel Plays
Executional Breakdown: Alo partnered with Emeka Egbuka during the Ohio State off-season to highlight his training routine, emphasizing how their apparel supports football players.

Our Picks For Future NIL Campaigns

Leveraging Out2Win’s Intelligence Platform, our team has identified three standout athlete-influencers whose content creation skills and dedication for their sport can drive the next wave of athleisure NIL campaigns.

To Explore Over 200,000+ Athletes for Your Next Campaign:

🏀 Juju Watkins: Basketball’s Newest NIL Superstar

Marketability Breakdown

NIL Portfolio

In her rookie year, Juju Watkins has already built a diverse and impressive NIL brand portfolio that includes:

• A major advertising campaign alongside Joel Embiid for AT&T

• A signature NerdWallet wallet

• A partnership with Celsius

• Blending beauty and basketball

• A collaboration with Instagram that garnered over 16 million Reel plays

Her accomplishments showcase her versatility and appeal across multiple markets.

Impact for Nike and Gatorade

Nike: Watkins' multi-year contract with Nike is reported to be one of the richest in women's basketball history. This partnership exemplifies Nike's commitment to investing in the future of women's sports and recognizing emerging talent. The deal even caught the attention of NBA superstar LeBron James, who gave Watkins a shoutout on social media, further amplifying her rising profile.

Gatorade: Watkins has extended her partnership with Gatorade to join fellow women's basketball stars Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers on the brand’s roster, forming a powerhouse trio that represents the bright future of women’s basketball. This move by Gatorade highlights the brand's dedication to supporting and promoting superstar female athletes.

To Discover the Marketability of Nike's Entire NIL Roster!

🏈 Jalen Milroe: NIL Breakdown & Partnership Analysis

Alabama’s Dual-Threat Quarterback

Recognized as one of the premier quarterbacks in college football, Jalen Milroe is proving to be a dual threat both on and off the field when it comes to marketability.

With an impressive 2 touchdowns and 1,500 yards in just six games this season, Milroe is making significant strides in his performance.

Simultaneously, he’s drawing attention from leading brands in the NIL space, securing impactful deals with major companies while also helping smaller brands grow their presence through strategic partnerships.

Partnership Insights

Beats by Dre | August 22nd
Executional Breakdown: Beats by Dre partnered with Jalen to gift the entire Alabama football team custom pairs of Alabama Beats, just in time for the upcoming season.

Celsius | August 26th
Executional Breakdown: Celsius brought in Jalen as the face of their product for Alabama’s football season, featuring him as part of their “Essential Six” athlete campaign.

BEAST | September 24th
Executional Breakdown: BEAST sponsored an official docu-series chronicling Milroe’s journey from high school to Alabama. This series delves into the challenges he faced, the support from his family, and offers an intimate look at his rise to success.

Evamor Water | June 13th
Executional Breakdown: Evamor Water showcases Jalen using their product for hydration as a standout athlete, promoting a healthy lifestyle and the pursuit of excellence.

Empire State Building | July 25th
Executional Breakdown: Milroe proudly shouted "Roll Tide" to all of New York City from atop the Empire State Building, highlighting breathtaking views and promoting Alabama pride to potential tourists.

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