Page 9 - 2016 Year In Review

VON MILLER, LINEBACKER - DENVER BRONCOS (NFL): Already a household name to football fans, Miller
joined the world of mainstream pop culture when he joined the cast of Dancing with the Stars following his
2015 Super Bowl MVP performance. It was through this platform that Miller cemented his off-the-field
persona as fun, quirky, and charismatic. Miller has an on-field intensity and propensity for big plays that
have made him a marquee endorser for adidas and a softer side that has elevated him to a lead
spokesperson role for Old Spice and the Madden video-game franchise. In a sport where quarterbacks
dominate brand activity, national advertisers leverage few defensive players. However, Miller (and J.J. Watt
before him) have broken this mold.

Deals: adidas, Microsoft, EA Sports, Chef's Cut, Old Spice, Muzik, Best Buy

KRIS BRYANT, OUTFIELDER - CHICAGO CUBS (MLB): Bryant was a
highly touted prospect who has delivered on all expectations in his first
two major league seasons. As the reigning National League MVP and
World Series Champion, Bryant’s diverse skillset on the field (he plays
three defensive positions) and offensive prowess (40+ home runs in
2016) have made him a fan favourite. Bryant boasts the highest “Q
Score” of an active Major League Baseball player (a measure to
determine an athlete’s influence as an endorser). MLB stars can often
have high regional appeal, but Bryant – along with fellow young
superstars Bryce Harper and Mike Trout – have an upside for national
Deals: Lyft, Express, adidas, Red Bull, MLB TV
brands; along with Steph Curry, Bryant is the face of men’s clothing
brand Express.

KEI NEISHIKORI, TENNIS (ATP): Currently the 5th-ranked tennis player
in the world, and the only male Japanese tennis player ever to be
ranked inside the top 10 in ATP Singles Ranking, Neishikori has
become an endorsement powerhouse in Asia. Nishikori kicked off 2016
by signing a $50 million endorsement deal with Japanese retailer
Uniqlo – significantly larger than #1 ranked player Novak Djokovic’s
deal with the same company. Neishikori has endorsement deals with as
many as 15 companies; however, with the 2020 Summer Olympics
taking place in Tokyo, he is expected to attract further sponsor interest,
particularly from his partners who are also Olympic sponsors (IOC Top
Deals: Nissin Foods, Uniqlo, Wilson, adidas,
Partner Proctor & Gamble and domestic partners Nissin Foods, Japan
Lixil, Weider, Tag Heuer, Jaccs, Jaguar,
Airlines, and Airweave).
Airweave, Asahi, Hisamitsu, Proctor & Gamble,
Japan Airlines, Wowow

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