Under Armour made a wise choice partnering with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
According to a new report from celebrity research company Spotted, Johnson’s Under Armour endorsement ranks the highest of all celebrity ambassadorships. The Rock, who works with other brands including Apple, takes the No. 4 spot on Spotted’s inaugural list of the 50 most valuable celebrity endorsers. (Under Armour ambassador Steph Curry nabbed spot No. 39.)
What makes Johnson’s Under Armour contract so valuable is more than just his onscreen success and likability. Under Armour and The Rock stand for similar values — toughness and authenticity among them — and this helps the star connect with the brand’s existing and potential consumer base.
Watch on FN
Another major winner is Crocs, as brand ambassador Drew Barrymore took the No. 5 place on the Spotted list. Appearing in positive, colorful ads for Crocs, the actress comes off as fun-loving, kooky and compassionate. Crocs has used Barrymore’s status as a mother to promote products for women and kids — and this clever marketing strategy has paid off.
Sneaker brands in general are having success with their partnerships, according to the Spotted data. Brand ambassadors for Adidas, Nike, Reebok, Converse, Puma and New Balance all earned places on the list. Adidas’ collaboration with Pharrell Williams was a winner, as was Chiara Ferragni’s with Converse. Rihanna’s work with Puma earned her the No. 47 spot on the list.
The Spotted data looks at a number of factors, specifically assessing consumer approval of a celebrity, associated risk of working with a star, the personality match between a brand and its endorser, and the match between a celebrity and a brand’s target audience.
Stars like Reebok ambassador Cardi B and Adidas Yeezy designer Kanye West — who are assessed as being “risky” for brands to work with — thus did not make the cut for Spotted’s 50-person list.
