☕ All that glitters

Marketing Brew··1 min read
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AI Summary

Jewelry brand Gorjana has built a sports marketing program called Gorjana Sports Club, partnering with women athletes across tennis, WNBA, volleyball, and soccer after athlete Jessie Pegula organically reached out in 2023. NBCUniversal kicked off upfronts week at Radio City Music Hall, leaning into its 100-year legacy and announcing new ad measurement tools including a Performance Insights Hub, retargeting updates, and AI-powered live contextual ad options rolling out in Q4 2026.

Key Facts

✓Gorjana built its sports ambassador program organically after tennis player Jessie Pegula reached out unprompted in 2023 saying she already wore the brand's jewelry during matches.
✓NBCUniversal used its 100th anniversary upfronts presentation to announce new Q4 ad tools including the Performance Insights Hub, updates to retargeting tool Live Total Impact, and AI-powered live contextual ads.
✓Kraft Heinz increased marketing investments by 37% year-over-year in Q1 2026.

Contrarian Angle

Let Athletes Come to You First

Gorjana's sports ambassador program started not from outbound recruitment but because tennis player Jessie Pegula organically reached out saying she already wore the jewelry during matches, turning authentic product usage into a formal partnership.

Most brands aggressively recruit athlete ambassadors; Gorjana's program was founded on an athlete-initiated relationship, making authenticity the starting point rather than an afterthought.

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