Why Sun Cruiser tapped its first athlete partner during her offseason

Nothing says “offseason” quite like cracking open a cold drink. That’s why, for its first athlete partnership, vodka iced tea brand Sun Cruiser chose to work with a player who’s not currently on the court.

The brand, which was introduced by owner Boston Beer Company last year, tapped Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham as its first athlete partner, and according to Erica Taylor, senior brand director for Sun Cruiser, the brand may work with other sports stars during their downtime.

The offseason strategy isn’t exactly common, given that athletes typically see the most attention and screentime while they’re playing, but Taylor said the timing is logical for Sun Cruiser, which is aiming to grow brand awareness while also emphasizing that it’s the perfect drink for taking a break.

“We know she’s a serious athlete, so we were just cognizant of [the fact that] we are an alcohol brand,” Taylor told Marketing Brew. “It’s about unwinding and relaxing, and so teaming up with her postseason just made a lot of sense for us.”

Shoot your shot

To kick off its first athlete deal, Sun Cruiser hosted a pop-up event at Rocco’s Sports & Rec in Manhattan with Cunningham last month. Attendees got access to food and drinks and a free throw contest at the bar, which Cunningham also competed in. The event was largely meant to spread the word about the partnership, particularly in the press and on social media, Taylor said.

“We’re a new brand, so we’re driving awareness for Sun Cruiser, and we’re going to do it together with her,” Taylor said. “It’s about amplifying her voice in our brand together.”

In the weeks since the event, the partnership has garnered coverage from outlets including Page Six, Front Office Sports, The Sporting News, and ClutchPoints. More than 300 people were in attendance, including press and influencers like sports content creator Lori Moran, but Taylor said leveraging Cunningham’s personality was her main focus.

“She just felt so down-to-earth and natural in the moment,” Taylor said. “It wasn’t so much about how many cans we were sampling, it was more about the relationship and her ability to both talk to press and to fans.”

Personality points

As is the case with many brand endorsement deals, Taylor said her team was drawn to Cunningham because she was a genuine fan of Sun Cruiser who brought some of her own ideas to the table.

“When you talk to people, you want them to be excited about the brand, not just about the idea of partnering with the brand,” Taylor said. “We got that right away from her.”

Cunningham also has a significant social following, with 1.6 million followers on TikTok and 1.3 million on Instagram. Her star has risen rather quickly: many of those followers she gained in the wake of a June matchup against the Connecticut Sun, during which Cunningham fouled a Sun player in an effort to “stand up for her teammates,” including Caitlin Clark, Cunningham told the New York Times. In addition to the followers, the incident attracted some criticism—as well as brand deals, including with Ring and Arby’s.

Sun Cruiser has already tapped into Cunningham’s audience with a social post that has over 92,000 likes and comments from other Fever stars like Aliyah Boston and Chloe Bibby, and Taylor said her team has more planned with Cunningham through the rest of the WNBA offseason.

Venue vibes

Sun Cruiser has also fostered a presence across college and NFL football this season, including partnerships with the Las Vegas Raiders, Tennessee Titans, Detroit Lions, Texas A&M University, Northern Arizona University, the University of Central Florida, and Coastal Carolina University.

The brand has IP partnerships with the Indiana Pacers and Fever and pouring rights at Gainbridge Fieldhouse where they both play (the team partnerships, Taylor noted, were what led Sun Cruiser to Cunningham) and a relationship with the San Antonio Spurs, as well as with four MLB teams. Basketball and baseball venues have proven particularly fruitful in driving trials and brand connection, Taylor said.

When spring rolls around, Taylor said she’s thinking about placing a bigger emphasis on baseball, since the “return of summer” vibes of baseball season match Sun Cruiser’s branding. There’s also a chance that the brand will expand its basketball portfolio even further.

“We’ll continue to evaluate both different sports and athletes within those sports,” she said.