Building an x-treme brand

Shaun White will be going for gold tonight in the Men’s snowboarding halfpipe as well as showcasing his new trick the Double McTwist 1260. White, who went pro at 13, was immediately sponsored by Burton. Now sponsored by Oakley, Birdhouse, Target, Redbull, Adio, and HP, White has created an incredibly successful brand for himself. A brand that epitomizes snowboarding. Everything from White’s red mop top hair, to his clothing, even the way he speaks is all part of the Shaun White brand. His sponsors are willing to do whatever it takes to keep him with their company.

There are very few athletes whose names are the epitome of their sport. Shaun, just 23 years old, now sits among names like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Roger Federer, Michael Phelps, and Wayne Gretzky. These athletes have another thing in common: the ability to brand themselves. This, along with their athletic talent, is what makes them superstars.

White has won 23 gold medals across the Olympics, X-Games, and The Dew Tour since 2002 and will go for number 24 tonight.