Money, Cash, Shoes: Rappers Becoming Popular Shoe Endorsers

50 Cent Investment: Reebok Looking For Large Return On G-Unit Line

The trend of athletic shoe companies using rappers to promote their products was examined in a sports section Cover Story by Michael McCarthy of USA TODAY, who noted signature casual shoe lines for 50 Cent, Snoop Dogg and Xzibit will come out during the next two months from Reebok, Pony and DaDa, respectively. Also, adidas will release a line around hip-hop artist Missy Elliott, called “Respect ME,” that includes shoes, jackets and bags. Nike U.S. Communications Dir Dean Stoyer said that the company “has no plans to follow Reebok into the rap wars ‘at this time.’” McCarthy writes Reebok endorser 50 Cent “views his music videos as potential ‘three-minute commercials,’” and DaDa President Lavetta Willis said that most rappers “have no qualms about working with sponsors for product placement in their songs, music videos and tours.” Willis said of the value of these endorsement deals, “Contracts for entertainers are getting to be the same as that for NBA athletes.” IEG Sponsorship Report Editorial Dir Jim Andrews said using rappers to endorse shoes “just gives (female athletes) more competition” for sponsorship dollars. Andrews: “If this trend continues, and it probably will, it will make it harder for all athletes, including the women.” 50 Cent added one advantage entertainers have as endorsers is “athletes are seasonal. Our presence is year-round” (USA TODAY, 7/5).

MONEY, POWER & RESPECT: In a separate piece, McCarthy reported Killick Datta, Founder & CEO of Pony parent Global Brand Marketing, predicts Snoop’s shoe line will generate $10M in sales as it expands into more than 1,000 stores this month. Lugz has sold “more than 3 million pairs” of signature shoes at $70-90 a pair from DJ Funkmaster Flex and Birdman over the “last few years” (USA TODAY, 7/5).