MUMBAI: The first of many, by the looks of things. Shortly after revealing on the Ellen DeGeneres TV show this week that she doesn’t own a car, US Open champion Naomi Osaka landed in Japan and signed her first big deal after her historic win – with a big car company no less.
Japanese auto giant Nissan has signed the mixed parentage 20-year-old as global brand ambassador on a three-year contract. As part of the partnership, Osaka will appear in global promotions and advertising for Nissan, and the car major will support her activities as a tennis player, including providing Nissan vehicles at her tour destinations.
The announcement was made at Nissan’s global headquarters in Yokohama, marking one of Osaka’s first appearances in Japan since winning the title on September 8.
Born in Osaka, Japan to a Japanese mother and a Haitian-American father, her parents moved to the US when she was 3 years old, though she competes for Japan. She lives in Florida.
Osaka’s existing brand portfolio includes sports brands adidas and Yonex, Nissin Foods, broadcaster WOWOW and watchmaker Citizen. It bears noting that aside from the German sportswear giant, all her endorsement deals are with Japanese companies.
Osaka joins a roster of Nissan’s other global ambassadors, including soccer players Gareth Bale of Real Madrid and Manchester City’s record goal-scorer Sergio Aguero, who both featured prominently during Nissan’s most recent UEFA Champions League sponsorship campaign.
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