Dairy alternative brand Silk has signed as the official almondmilk of U.S. Figure Skating and will promote the relationship in a national retail campaign. The deal is valued in the low six figures, but USFS CMO Ramsey Baker said the visibility gained by having the logo lockup in grocery stores nationwide far exceeds the direct cash proceeds. Silk packaging will include the USFS logo through '18, and the sport will provide the backbone for in-store displays and promotional materials. “For Silk to actually do this, it’s a big commitment,” Baker said. “It’s something we always give our partners, but it’s not necessarily an asset many of them take advantage of.” Baker said the last time USFS played such a prominent role in a national campaign was in '05-06, when Burger King’s kids toys featured a figure skating toy for girls (the NFL branded the boy’s toy that year). The Silk deal grew out of internal research finding that USFS members are disproportionately almondmilk drinkers, Baker said. Silk’s sponsorship kicks off at the '18 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championships this week, where it will have signage and a promotional booth at SAP Center in San Jose. The elite competition begins tomorrow night, with the Olympic teams named over the weekend. Silk, which also markets plant-based creamers and yogurt alternatives, is owned by DanoneWave, a new company created by Danone’s April acquisition of Denver-based WhiteWave Foods. This is its first NGB sponsorship.
