Tennis player Rafael Nadal this fall will serve as a "brand ambassador for Tommy Hilfiger underwear and tailored clothing," as well as a new men's fragrance called TH Bold, according to Lisa Lockwood of WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY. Nadal will not "have his name on the product," but he will be featured in a "major campaign that breaks today and encompasses print, outdoor, television and digital advertising globally." Billboards "showcasing Nadal in Hilfiger underwear" will go up in N.Y., L.A., Paris, Hong Kong, Mexico City and Melbourne. The fragrance and underwear campaigns "run throughout the fall," while the tailored clothing ads "break in the spring." Hilfiger Global Chief Brand Officer Avery Baker said that the Nadal campaign "is skewed more toward the male consumer." She noted another football-themed campaign running this fall "is more female-oriented." Lockwood notes Nadal, who signed a two-year deal with the clothing company last December, will appear this afternoon "at an exclusive celebrity tennis tournament" at N.Y.'s Bryant Park, while he and Hilfiger will participate in a Q&A tonight at the Herald Square Macy's (WWD.com, 8/25).
CHOCOLATE RAIN: Tennis player Caroline Wozniacki yesterday made an appearance at the MetLife Godiva boutique to promote the company's Soft Serve and announce a tennis-inspired gift with purchase program. Shoppers at select N.Y. Godiva stores will receive the "Caroline," a tennis-themed chocolate, with the purchase of any Soft Serve from Aug. 31 through the end of the U.S. Open on Sept. 13. Wozniacki earlier this year became the brand's first-ever athlete endorser (THE DAILY). Meanwhile, in N.Y., Emily Smith notes Wozniacki yesterday "put on an unexpected show for waiting players on the public courts on Manhattan’s West Side Highway." While "many were excited to see the Danish star in action, others weren’t enthused at having to wait longer than usual for their time on the court while she went through her paces" (N.Y. POST, 8/25).
ROGER & ME: FORBES.com's Niall McCarthy reported Roger Federer is set to be the "world’s highest-paid athlete endorser," earning an estimated $58M this year. Much of his success "can be attributed to long-term deals with top brands such as Nike, Mercedes and Credit Suisse." The rest of the top five include golfers Tiger Woods ($50M) and Phil Mickelson ($44M), as well as Cavaliers F LeBron James ($44M) and Thunder F Kevin Durant ($35M) (FORBES.com, 8/21).
