Back In The Endorsement Pool: Phelps Partners With H2O Audio
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Phelps Inks First Sponsorship Deal
Since Tabloid Photo In February |
San Diego-based waterproof headphone manufacturer H2O Audio has reached a multi-year partnership with swimmer Michael Phelps. H2O this summer will launch a new ad campaign, under which Phelps' image and voice will be integrated into select product packaging, advertisements and displays at various retail stores, as well as online (H2O Audio). H2O CEO Kristian Rauhala said that the new deal "came together because Phelps was looking to take his music 'into the pool.'" USA TODAY's Michael McCarthy reports H2O, which also sponsors swimmer Natalie Coughlin and surfer Laird Hamilton, "plans to splash Phelps' image at Apple, Best Buy, Sports Authority and Target stores this summer." The deal marks Phelps' first new endorsement since a British tabloid published a picture of him smoking from a marijuana bong, and the sponsorship "might be the start of a Madison Avenue comeback for Phelps." While Kellogg Co. dropped Phelps amid the controversy from the photo, Octagon's Drew Johnson, whose company represents Phelps, noted Visa, Subway, Omega, PureSport and 505 Games "stuck by him." Phelps also recently published a new children's book, "How to Train with a T-Rex and Win 8 Gold Medals" (USA TODAY, 6/16).
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