When Mizzen + Main began as a young company with a tight budget, it relied on the support of athlete endorsements to get off the ground and running. The company is still less than five years old, yet its athletic dress shirts have been sported by the likes of Drew Brees, Joe Flacco and Mark Cuban.
The brand was fortunate enough to have athletes as customers, but lacked the budgets to secure celebrity endorsement deals. However, in the age of social media, a picture is worth much more than a thousand words.
By offering a specific product for athletes based off of the fabrics they already know perform well during activities, word of mouth became a tool that the brand could use as star athletes began naturally talking about and sharing the product. From there, it was only a matter of Mizzen + Main putting its ear to the ground and making the most of these social media plugs.
Athlete-Approved Shirt Campaigns
Mizzen + Main Uses Athlete Endorsements Instead of Big-Budget Ads
Trend Themes
1. Athlete-endorsed Products - Leveraging athlete endorsements instead of traditional celebrity endorsements can create stronger brand awareness and credibility.
2. Word-of-mouth Marketing - Using social media to encourage influencers to naturally talk about and share a product can generate valuable word-of-mouth advertising.
3. Niche Product Offerings - Developing specialized products tailored to specific industries, such as athletic dress shirts for athletes, can attract a dedicated customer base.
Industry Implications
1. Athletic Apparel - The athletic apparel industry can explore partnering with athletes for product endorsements to boost brand recognition and credibility.
2. Social Media Marketing - The social media marketing industry can develop strategies to leverage influencer partnerships for authentic and impactful word-of-mouth advertising.
3. Performance Fabrics - The performance fabrics industry can create specialized products catering to specific industries, like athletic dress shirts for athletes, to capitalize on niche market opportunities.