In the 2023 film Air, which chronicles the rise of Nike, sports marketing icon Sonny Vaccaro (played by Matt Damon) famously declares: “A shoe is just a shoe until someone steps into it.” This philosophy helped secure a young Michael Jordan, propelling Nike to global dominance. Decades later, Nike’s influence in sports is unparalleled, and its latest move—signing Olympic gold medalist and world champion surfer Italo Ferreira—required far less persuasion.
Ferreira, who claimed gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, expressed his excitement about the partnership:
“Making one more dream come true: to have one of the most coveted brands in the world on my board. This is more than a personal achievement; it’s about connection to the history of great sports heroes and a real weightlifting family. This is a very special moment in my professional career!
“Joining this team gives me the strength and courage to keep facing obstacles and walk the way to the top. In advance, I thank my team @if15sports for their work and performance in the past months.”
This isn’t Nike’s first foray into surfing. The brand previously sponsored elite athletes like Kolohe Andino, Carissa Moore, and Julian Wilson under its now-defunct “6.0” division, producing videos and sponsoring events. However, as the surf industry sees legacy brands loosening their hold on top-tier talent, Nike’s re-entry with Ferreira could signal a new era for the brand in the surfing world.
Could this mark the beginning of Nike’s resurgence in surfing? With Ferreira on board, the brand is poised to make a splash once again.
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