This article contains information about Japanese professional tennis player Naomi Osaka’s brand endorsements, investments and charity work.
In January 2021, French fashion house Louis Vuitton unveiled Naomi Osaka as a brand ambassador.
Though the financial terms of the deal were not made public, according to The Action Network’s Darren Rovell, the deal is estimated to fetch Osaka a “seven-figure” salary annually.
As part of the agreement, Osaka featured in Louis Vuitton’s “Spring Summer 2021” campaign by designer Nicholas Ghesquière.
Tag Heuer took to social media to announce Osaka as its latest brand ambassador just a week after she signed the “seven-figure” Louis Vuitton deal. Osaka joined fellow tennis player Petra Kvitová and golfer Tommy Fleetwood on the Tag Heuer roster of athlete ambassadors.
On the same day she was named the No. 1 seed for the 2019 US Open, Osaka signed a deal with Hyperice, a recovery and performance technology brand that specialises in vibration and percussion fitness devices. The exact financial terms of the deal were not made public.
Mastercard, a financial services company and one of the world’s most active sponsors of sporting events, announced its partnership with the Japanese sensation just before the 2019 French Open. The Mastercard logo was first seen on Osaka’s visor during the 2019 Mutua Madrid Open.
The details of this agreement have been kept secret, though the addition of Osaka speaks volumes about the commercial opportunities Mastercard sees and seeks in the Asian market.
After winning her first two Grand Slam titles, Osaka’s deal with Adidas came up for renewal, though Nike beat the likes of both the German giant and Japanese rival Uniqlo for her signature.
The Nike deal reportedly fetches Osaka around US$8.5 million per year. Apart from China’s Li Na, Osaka is only the second athlete whom Nike has allowed to have other partner patches on her Nike apparel.
Osaka joined the BodyArmor roster in 2019 after she was introduced to the brand by the late Kobe Byrant, who mentored her after her sudden rise to stardom.
Founded in 2011, BodyArmor had a scant 0.2% market share in 2014, which jumped to 10% by the time Osaka was roped in.
Forbes expects BodyArmor to leapfrog market leader Gatorade by 2025.
In 2008, Naomi’s mother, Tamaki Osaka, sent a letter to the Yonex president in Japan asking for product support. Yonex looked at Osaka’s talent and immediately agreed.
Since then, the Japanese sensation has been using Yonex racquets. Some believe that the partnership is just a long-term deal, while many believe it to be a lifetime agreement.
In 2021, American salad and fast-casual restaurant chain Sweetgreen announced its first-ever national athlete ambassador as well as its youngest investor, Naomi Osaka.
The partnership marked the first food collaboration for Osaka. “Our goal is a big one: to change the way brands and athletes speak to future generations about the importance of what they eat,” said Nathaniel Ru, Sweetgreen’s Co-founder and Chief Brand Officer, upon on-boarding Osaka.
Workday, a human resources technology company, agreed on a sponsorship deal with Osaka in January 2021 on the back of an eventful 2020 during which she was widely praised for raising awareness regarding racial injustice through her support of the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement on her way to winning the US Open for the second time in September that year.
Though the press release pertaining to the announcement didn’t give away any financial terms of the deal, Workday cited Osaka’s role as “a leading voice of the social justice movement” as one element of her commercial appeal.
In November 2021, Osaka was announced as the new face of American clothing, beauty and lingerie brand Victoria’s Secret.
As an ambassador, Osaka collaborates with Victoria’s Secret on the VS Collective, which allows women from all backgrounds to participate and tell their stories through collaborations, corporate partnerships and cause-related projects.
Consumer audio products manufacturer Beats by Dre signed on Osaka as a brand ambassador in November 2020.
Apart from promoting the products via social media and advertisements, Osaka also sports Beats headphones on the pitch, both before and after her games.
Tokyo-based confectionery company Morinaga roped Osaka in as a brand ambassador in 2019.
As an ambassador, Osaka is a part of the brand’s campaigns and promotes its “nutrition plus healthy” philosophy.
In early 2021, Osaka partnered with global clothing company Levi’s. She headed the company’s #LevisBecoming series. She has since also collaborated with the brand to launch her own collection: the “Levi’s 501 X Naomi Osaka” range.
Internet domain registrar and web-hosting company GoDaddy partnered with Osaka in March 2021.
As a GoDaddy brand ambassador, Osaka appears in multiple advertisements for the company.
In June 2021, Osaka signed a two-year deal with global electronics giant Panasonic.
The deal sees Osaka not only endorse and promote Panasonic but also collaborate with it to “create an ideal society for each and every person”.
Autograph, an NFT platform co-founded by NFL legend Tom Brady, announced its partnership with Osaka in August 2021. She also joined the advisory board of the company.
The rates of Osaka’s personal NFTs on Autograph range between US$12 and US$100. These NFTs can be purchased on Autograph.io or the DraftKings Marketplace.
Modern Health, a global mental health care solution, teamed up with Osaka in November 2022.
As the company’s Chief Community Health Advocate, Osaka has helped Modern Health develop a guided meditation tool called “Relax with Naomi”.
Melco Resorts & Entertainment, a Hong Kong-based developer, owner and operator of casino gaming and entertainment resort facilities, named Osaka its brand ambassador and sports group manager in October 2019.
As per the deal, Osaka has contributed and helped define the company’s sports and wellness offerings.
Adidas roped in a young 16-year-old Naomi Osaka in 2014 on a four-year deal that reportedly fetched her a “six-figure” salary annually.
With her deal expiring by the end of 2018, Osaka’s success at the 2018 US Open opened the floodgate for major brands to move for her. Adidas was ready to offer her the biggest contract it ever offered to any female athlete, but a three-way battle ensued, with Nike and Uniqlo sniffing around. Ultimately, Nike priced away Adidas’ golden child.
Japanese watchmaker Citizen signed up Osaka in 2018 before her first Grand Slam success. She wore a Citizen watch when she won her first Grand Slam title. Her success sold out Citizen watches in record time in Japan.
The finer details of Osaka’s deal with Citizen were never made public, though reports have suggested that it incorporated bonuses for tournament victories on top of the guaranteed payments she received.
Japanese satellite broadcaster Wowow signed a long-term deal with Osaka in 2016.
Together with Kei Nishikori, Osaka became the face of all tennis coverage for the Japanese broadcaster through interviews, personal appearances and digital marketing campaigns.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) is the largest airline in Japan. It roped in Osaka as a brand ambassador after her 2018 US Open victory.
The deal saw Osaka sport the ANA logo when she played tournaments all around the globe.
Japanese beauty company Shiseido roped in Osaka in 2018, naming her a global brand ambassador. She frontlined the brand’s “BareMinerals” makeup and “Anessa” sunscreen lines.
Naomi Osaka signed a three-year deal with global car manufacturer Nissan days after reports emerged that Adidas was set to reward her with the biggest contract it had ever given a female athlete.
Along with naming Osaka as its brand ambassador, the Japanese manufacturer was also quick to add her to its “Creators Unite” campaign.
2016 was a breakthrough season for Naomi as she qualified for Grand Slam tournaments for the first time in her career and earned the 2016 WTA Newcomer of the Year award. It was at this point that Japanese food products company Nissin came for her signature and tied up a deal with the future superstar.
Osaka, 19 at the time, said at a news conference in Tokyo that she was happy to be with Nissin as she had eaten the brand’s popular cup noodles since she was a child.
In March 2022, Osaka was unveiled as a global brand ambassador for the now-bankrupt cryptocurrency exchange platform FTX. Along with joining as an ambassador, Osaka also became an investor in the firm. Part of her sponsorship agreement was also paid in cryptocurrency.
Osaka sported the FTX logo on court. She also headlined multiple branded content and campaigns for it while also working towards generating awareness around social justice causes and mental health through the partnership.
The San Francisco-based online marketplace for lodging and homestays partnered with Osaka ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
The partnership saw Osaka and other athletes team up with Airbnb for a five-day festival of online Olympic and Paralympic experiences, which gave fans the opportunity to have a virtual meet with the athletes, who shared their experiences and even held training sessions for the fans. Osaka hosted an hour-long workout session for the fans along with her trainer, Yutaka Nakamura.
Bare Minerals, a cosmetics brand that produces products in a chemical-free cosmetic brand, unveiled Naomi Osaka as its “Power of Good Ambassador” in June 2019.
As part of the deal, Osaka also served as the face of the brand’s signature “BarePro Performance Wear Foundation”.
Ariel, a brand of laundry detergent developed by Procter & Gamble (P&G), roped in Osaka as a brand ambassador in 2019 for its Japan market.
PlayStation, a line video game consoles developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, announced its association with Osaka in November 2020.
Naomi Osaka’s relationship with Hyperice is on an endorsement level as well as in equity stake form.
Osaka is Sweetgreen’s youngest investor and its first national athlete ambassador. The four-time Grand Slam winner is a long-time Sweetgreen customer, the chain has claimed. Osaka has also worked with Sweetgreen’s culinary team to create a custom bowl available only via the brand’s app.
In 2020, Naomi signed a deal with premium Japanese sake brand Soto. The deal sees her serve as an investor as well as a creative consultant tasked with overseeing the brand known for its authentic taste and high-end quality.
Osaka dipped her toes into sports franchises when she acquired an ownership stake in National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) side North Carolina Courage in 2021. She became the first investor to join team owner Steve Malik since he purchased the Courage and relocated them to North Carolina in 2017.
“My investment in the North Carolina Courage is far beyond just being a team owner. It’s an investment in amazing women who are role models and leaders in their fields and inspirations to all young female athletes,” Osaka said in a statement.
In May 2022, Osaka announced that she would be ending her partnership with IMG to launch her very own sports agency, Evolve, with her long-time agent Stuart Duguid.
Osaka, who had been working on the Evolve project since the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, said that she would operate it as a “small boutique and bespoke agency”.
Also read: Nick Kyrgios becomes first athlete to join Naomi Osaka’s Evolve sports agency
During the COVID-19 lockdown in July 2020, Naomi and her older sister, Mari Osaka, collaborated with UNICEF to design and produce a limited-edition face mask, the proceeds of which went to the people in need of help in Japan.
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Sometimes fans or beneficiries of a coach will think differently. I hope her former coach has nothing to do with these bashes against naomi osaka!!!