Andrew Rizzo Sneaker partnerships transcended the money of professional sports long ago, spearheaded by Kanye West’s Nike catalog and continued on through the singings of Travis Scott, Drake, and a wide variety of actors both inside and out of the Swoosh family. Now Nike adds another A-lister to its roster, signing world famous streamer Kai Cenat to an endorsement deal.
Kai Cenat announces he’s officially partnered with NIKE pic.twitter.com/dOUilzJFIy
— ryan ? (@scubaryan_) February 9, 2024
News of this partnership marks a pivotal moment as Cenat becomes the first streamer signed by the Beaverton brand, only the second streamer ever to land a shoe deal following Ninja’s signing with adidas in 2019. This strategy is sure to captivate a younger audience as Nike appeals to a new era of sneakerheads by leveraging one of the world’s fastest-growing media consumption methods.
Sneakers have been a recurring theme in Kai Cenat’s content since he started streaming three years ago. In a notable incident last March, Twitch sent Cenat a pair of custom Nike Air Force 1s, igniting debate within the streaming community over the potential motives behind the gesture. More recently, Puma and LaMelo Ball presented the streamer with a complete set of signature basketball shoes, which he unboxed live to tens of thousands of viewers in a savvy promotional play.
With Cenat now officially partnering with Nike, his followers can anticipate an influx of Swoosh-branded content in the future.
