Sponsorship Stars: Top Celebrity Brand Endorsements

June 7, 2023
SponsorPulse Staff

Celebrity endorsements have been a popular marketing strategy for decades, with brands leveraging the star power of the rich, talented, and famous to promote their products or services. From athlete sponsorships to celebrity chefs partnering with kitchenware brands, the success of these endorsements can be seen in the billions of dollars spent on them annually.

While powerful partnerships exist across a wide range of markets, many stand out from the pack with regard to their success. We crunched the numbers: Here are the Top 4 celebrity brand endorsements in recent years:

Sponsorship Stars: Top Celebrity Brand Endorsements

Serena Williams x Nike

Nike’s sponsorship of Serena Williams has proven over the years to be nothing short of a match made in sponsorship heaven. Signed at the age of 22 for a reported $55M, WIlliams has upped her game in ways most athletes only dream of achieving. Multiple grand slam titles later, the Women’s Tennis Associations Singles World No. 1 has an entire building at Nike World HQ wearing her name. Nike’s Serena Williams apparel collection includes tennis clothes, but also streetwear—so you can look like a champ on and off the court.

Serena's Scorecard Snapshot

61% of those aware like her
43% want to meet her, among aware
28% want to support brands she works with, among aware

Dwayne Johnson x Under Armour

Project Rock, Dwayne Johnson's clothing collab with Under Armour, is rooted in three things: Blood, Sweat and Respect. The fashionable line of exercise apparel pays tribute to the high-level athlete that Dwayne Johnson is. Motivating T-Shirts that read “Champions are made in the iron paradise” inspire fans to be the hardest working athlete in the room at any given training session.

The Rock’s Scorecard Snapshot

63% of those aware like him
41% want to meet him, among aware
32% want to support brands he works with, among aware

Ryan Reynolds x Aviation Gin

Ryan Reynolds is a man with his hands in many pots. The part owner of Aviation American Gin (who sold a portion of the company for a reported $610M) recently pulled a sponsorship inception by unveiling the brand's new uniform branding for UK-based Wrexham Association Football Club, of which he is the co-owner.

Prefer American football over its UK counterpart? You’ll find Reynolds there too! Aviation American Gin is an official sponsor of the NFL, a partnership that features digital, social and broadcast content alongside tastings in US bars and restaurants.

Ryan’s Scorecard Snapshot

82% of those aware like him
57% want to meet him, among aware
59% are interested in him, among aware

Charli d’Amelio X Dunkin Donuts

American social media personality, Charli D’Amelio took TikTok by storm in 2019 when she started posting dance videos on the platform. Since then, her niche influence has only ballooned in the digital space. Her most popular brand endorsement? Dunkin’ Donuts.

“The Charli” was an official Dunkin’ menu item that emulated the TikTok-ers standard order—a medium cold brew with whole milk and 3 pumps of caramel swirl. The results? Dunkin’ saw a 20% sales increase for all cold brews the day her drink was released, and a 45% surge the following day!

Charli’s Scorecard Snapshot

46% are aware of her
49% like her, among aware
49% are interested in her, among aware

Dive into Celebrity & Influencer Reports

Ready to learn more about how consumers feel about the stars? Our Celebrity & Influencer Report dives deep into the data, helping you navigate the complex world of celebrity endorsements, one metric at a time.