Roger Federer’s enduring appeal continues to drive the brands he is associated with to new heights and his biggest success story is undoubtedly with Swiss sportswear brand On Running.
The tennis ecosystem was rocked when Federer ended his long association with Nike in 2018, with his agent later admitting the US clothing giant opted to step away from a new deal with the player who is arguably the most popular in tennis history.
That decision paved the way for Federer to invest in Swiss company On, with the equity stake he took in the company in its formative days proving to be highly lucrative.
Federer became more than just a brand ambassador for On as he took on a role in the development of their products and his star power ensured the brand instantly went to the next level.
The company’s revenue exploded from $425 million in 2020 to over $1.8 billion in 2024, with that growth inspired by Federer’s own shoe range and his passion for the project that was displayed in his media appearances to promote the brand.
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Launched on the New York Stock Exchange in September 2021, On was valued at $6.3 billion, with the Federer factor cited by many experts as the reason for the rising valuation.
Federer’s success with On has inspired other star names to jump on board, with soccer legends Thierry Henry and Kylian Mbappe the latest superstars to sign up as On ambassadors as the company looks to expand its rapid rise into other sports.
Brands looking to follow the On model are certain to sign up superstar athletes in the hope that they can also break into the crowded market that can be so lucrative, with A-listers like Federer continuing to attract big audiences long after hanging up his racket.
On has used their handful of publicity appearances with Federer to good effect, with the latest creating a big stir in China last month.
The event celebrated the unveiling of a special edition of THE ROGER Wildcard, a shoe born out of On’s ongoing collaboration with Federer and the young athletes of the Wild Elephant Tennis Club.
The event marked an emotional reunion at the Shenzhen flagship between Federer and the young players, who first met in Shanghai two years ago. Following their initial meeting, On’s design and innovation teams incorporated the motifs of an original hand-painted drawing by one of the kids into the shoe’s graphic detailing and custom sock liner, pairing high-performance Swiss engineering with authentic grassroots storytelling.
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The highlight of the celebration was a one-of-a-kind floating tennis court installed on the waters of Shenzhen Talent Park.
Watched by over 9.6 million people on a livestream, the evening culminated in a breathtaking 2,000-drone aerial light installation over the Shenzhen skyline, depicting the journey of a tennis dream originating in Basel, travelling across the globe, and igniting the skies above Shenzhen.
The Federer success story with On looks set to be far more lucrative than anything money he won as a tennis player and we can expect a plenty of sporting superstars to follow his lead in the hope of creating the next big sporting apparel success story.
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