Naked and NVA to match sports stars with brands
Communications strategy agency Naked has teamed up with talent management company NVA Management to bring brands and sports stars or celebrities together.
The deal will see the agency work with NVA’s clients, who include Chelsea captain John Terry, Manchester City player striker Robinho, Manchester United’s Rio Ferdinand and sprinter Usain Bolt.
Naked and NVA will look to strike traditional sponsorships, endorsements, partnerships and new product development.
The agency’s head of entertainment Matt Jagger says one of its key goals will be to tie up with brands that will “co-create” new products with the talent involved.
Jagger says it is in discussions with a number of brands to tie up with Bolt. The Olympic gold medallist already has partnerships with Puma and Gatorade.
While for Terry the agency is looking to strike up new deals with companies as part of a strategy to build the footballer’s “brand appeal” beyond his association with Chelsea.
The relationship with NVA will bolster Naked’s work in branded entertainment and will involve the agency’s London, New York, Tokyo and Sydney offices.
It also intends to develop the relationship in order to work with NVA’s other clients in the music and film industries.
Naked is already working with NVA on its “Football Ambassadors” project, which sees a squad of high-profile recently retired players touring football’s emerging markets.
