Warriors G Stephen Curry has added to his sponsorship portfolio, signing a "new beverage endorsement deal" with water filtration brand Brita, according to E.J. Schultz of AD AGE. As part of the three-year deal, Curry will be "featured in TV ads, PR and social media campaigns." The campaign, via DDB, S.F., will begin next month, with TV ads "expected to debut in March." Brita in its announcement "linked the deal to the Drink Up organization, which it described as 'an effort from the Partnership for a Healthier America and its honorary chairwoman First Lady Michelle Obama to encourage people to drink more water more often'" (ADAGE.com, 12/17). ESPN.com's Darren Rovell noted Clorox "is the parent company of Brita," and has its HQ in Oakland. Clorox COO Nick Vlahos said, "Steph is the total package for us. He has the skill on the court, the personality and the family focus, and we think he'll help us effectively deliver the message." Rovell wrote the move "is an interesting one for Brita, which has never had a celebrity endorse its product." The company "has been the market leader in the space for more than two decades but has been relatively steady" at $300M-400M in sales the last five years. Vlahos said that the company will use Curry "to promote its pitcher and bottle products." Octagon's Jeff Austin, who reps Curry, said that the deal "has been in the works for many months." Austin: "Steph realizes the responsibility he has, and he isn't going to push something that he wouldn't recommend to his own kids" (ESPN.com, 12/16).
