Another sponsorship deal for De Grasse – but not the one you’re thinking of

Share

As a young sprinter hitting his stride, Andre De Grasse is a marketable athlete: even before winning three medals in his Olympic debut and making friends with superstar Usain Bolt along the way, Mr. De Grasse inked a massive sponsorship deal with Puma and has worked with brands such as Gillette, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP and on a local level, Pizza Pizza. But the latest marketing partnership to land on the De Grasse doorstep is not focused on the Canadian track phenom: the star of the campaign is his mother, Beverley.

Ms. De Grasse has signed a one-year partnership with GraceKennedy (Ontario) Ltd., the Canadian arm of the Kingston, Jamaica-based packaged food manufacturer that sells the Grace brand across Canada.

"Andre is always talking to the media about my cooking," Ms. De Grasse said with evident pride. "I thought it was a great way to show the public some of his favourite recipes."

As part of the deal, Ms. De Grasse will appear at events for the company and will also shoot videos and photos for use on social media. One-minute segments will feature her sharing quick recipes, such as jerk chicken, that Grace will share on its Facebook, Instagram and Twitter accounts. Andre sweetens the deal: he has agreed to amplify those promotions by sharing at least three posts on his own social media accounts as well.

Ms. De Grasse moved to Canada from Trinidad and Tobago in 1987 and has noticed how much more diverse Canadian tastes have become in the past 30 years – she uses Grace products, she said, and they have become easier to find in mainstream supermarkets.

The company has been working to respond to those trends: part of the campaign's objective is to emphasize the products' ease of use to cooks who are only beginning to experiment with unfamiliar recipes. It is in the process of changing its corporate name to Grace Canada to reflect its expansion across the country.

"We have so many cities that are diverse, there's really a blend of cultures. And people are foodies. They're interested in trying new flavours. We've definitely seen growth in that area," said Alexandria Mottley, assistant brand manager at GraceKennedy. "We're getting the first-generation, core Caribbean consumers but also their kids who grew up with their moms' cooking, and they're introducing the food to their friends. … We're seeing a lot of interest in Caribbean cooking."

Grace is not the first brand to recognize the value of an athlete's family. Procter & Gamble Co. has shifted the bulk of its advertising investment around the Olympics to its "Thank You, Mom" campaign, drawing emotional heft by profiling the roles that real athletes' mothers have played in their children's success. Beverley and Andre De Grasse were part of this sponsorship in Canada at the Rio Games, under P&G's Gillette brand.

"Beverley's wonderful in the sense that she's very humble and gracious, but like Andre she has that twinkle in her eye when the camera turns on," said Brian Levine, managing director of Toronto-based Envision Sports & Entertainment Inc., who works on sponsorship deals with Mr. De Grasse in Canada, and who also suggested the Grace opportunity to Ms. De Grasse. "She has such a heartfelt, warm presence."

Following his Olympic success, Mr. De Grasse has also attracted more attention from sponsors, Mr. Levine said, noting that he recently signed a deal that has not yet been announced.

During her son's events in Rio, Ms. De Grasse was a constant presence, cheering wildly at his success. When Andre was in high demand for interviews, Ms. De Grasse sometimes stepped in and has become comfortable speaking with media. Still, she said she was "quite surprised and taken aback" when an opportunity arose to work with an advertiser on her own.

Grace has a small marketing budget in Canada, and is hoping to make an impact through social media. The marketing team believes Ms. De Grasse is an "authentic" voice that will work well in that environment and an approachable air that could help expand its appeal.

"Where we see an opportunity for growth is in the mainstream market," Ms. Mottley said. "We can come in with recipes that are versatile and easy for Canadians to use. … We want to get over that boundary."