Japanese watchmaker, Citizen, claimed a big lift with the victory of Naomi Osaka at the US Open Championships on September 9.
Highlighting what good sports sponsorship can do to a brand, Citizen’s shares rose 1.3 per cent on the Tokyo stock exchange, according to Bloomberg, a day after Osaka defeated tennis great Serena Williams 6-2, 6-4 to win the women’s title at Flushing Meadows.
Citizen’s good graces are highlighted by the fact that the sponsorship was made public a day before the commencement of the tournament.
Osaka, 20, born to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother and flies the Japanese flag, announced the sponsorship agreement on her social media accounts on August 26 before the US Open started on August 27.
Citizen put it on their Instagram account on August 27.
Two weeks later, Osaka is a grand slam champion and the watchmaker said that there has been an increase in interest in the wristwatch she wore in her victory against Williams, the Citizen Eco-Drive Bluetooth. The company has promised her a bonus.
The new US Open winner was listed among the 50 most marketable athletes of 2018 by SportsPro last week. She made her maiden entry in 27th place in a list that has top stars Paul Pogba, Anthony Joshua, Kylian Mbappe and Stephen Curry in the top five.
Osaka, who won the $3.8million prize money, also has brand endorsements by Japanese noodle makers Nissin Group, broadcaster Wowow, apparel company Adidas and sports equipment maker Yonnex.