Degree's NIL Program Offers Diverse Young Athletes Autonomy

The day after the Supreme Court's decision to support student athletes' abilities to earn income through NCAA’s Name Image Likeness (NIL) rule, Unilever’s deodorant and antiperspirant brand Degree stepped in with its first-to-market #BreakingLimits campaign. While headlines of lucrative branding deals for student athletes ushered in an unprecedented world of student-marketing relationships, Degree’s initiative appears more concerned with offering a diverse range of young athletes an opportunity to exercise full autonomy over their own image in a meaningful way. “Really, the aim is to just go and set a positive precedent for brands working with college athletes,” Degree’s senior brand manager Chiara Grillo tells Adweek. Degree's diverse roster of 19 student athletes includes representatives from para swimming, women’s volleyball and wheelchair basketball with University of Cincinnati’s Lawrence Sapp, University of Texas’ Jhenna Gabriel and University of Alabama’s Bailey Moody, respectively. For these new partnerships, the brand prioritized their unique stories over more superfluous factors like their social media following. And football, which apparently commands the vast majority of NIL dollars, sees only three representatives on this list. Rob Master, vp of media and engagement for Unilever, sees this NIL opportunity aligned with the consumer goods company’s push towards creating a more socially inclusive world. "These are things that our brands and we as an organization have been focused on for years," he says. "We wanted to take that same approach to how we engage with the student college athlete.” On top of mentorship, we're also making sure one part of the athlete’s endorsement includes identifying meaningful programs in their own community that allow them to inspire others.Chiara Grillo, senior brand manager, Degree Deeper than an endorsement Per Master, the #BreakingLimits campaign sought to dismiss a gendered advantage from the beginning, even in terms of sponsorship dollars: “We're going to be providing equal compensation to both men and women athletes in aggregate through our NIL effort.” #BreakingLimits also carries a theme of mentorship and ongoing community engagement and empowerment that spans much farther than any simple sign-on bonus or brand partnership. Grillo outlines how the campaign additionally seeks to uplift the community surrounding these partnered athletes. “We've pledged $5 million over the next five years in activities that inspire people to move more, partnering very closely with a number of incredible NGOs and movers," she says. "On top of mentorship, we're also making sure one part of the athlete’s endorsement includes identifying meaningful programs in their own community that allow them to inspire others.” What NIL means to college athletes now is still up in the air. As of now, Unilever is one of the most prominent brands that is taking a more purpose-led approach. It makes for a completely different NIL narrative and sets a tone for other brands looking to follow suit. Unilever Will Eliminate 'Normal' From Its Product Packaging

Sports Marketing News

Degree's NIL Program Offers Diverse Student Athletes Autonomy Over Their Own Image

#BreakingLimits aims to help rising sports stars assert their own brand

Leonardo Faierman

About

Subscriptions

Events

Publications

WORK SMARTER - LEARN, GROW AND BE INSPIRED.

Subscribe today!

Leonardo Faierman