In tennis, Boss sponsors high-ranking players Matteo Berrettini and Taylor Fritz. In 2022, the brand launched a tennis capsule collection with Berrettini, including polos, hoodies and accessories, rereleased each year since, in line with tennis season — which has been a “great success”, per the brand.
“We choose our ambassadors carefully. It is important that they match the messages of our brands, and that they have a high level of relevance and credibility in our target groups,” says Grieder. “Many of our brand ambassadors are athletes. They go the extra mile, are likeable and have the right mindset. Formula One driver Fernando Alonso, tennis players Matteo Berrettini and Taylor Fritz, ski racer Aleksander Kilde, or runner Alica Schmidt, for example, perfectly embody what Boss stands for today. They have the right attitude, energy and passion, and they are an inspiration for others.”
Boss also hosts its own tennis tournament, the Boss Open ATP 250, in the brand’s native Metzingen, Germany (near the well-known tennis open court Stuttgart) each June. Now in its third year, the tournament attracts high-profile players like Berrettini, Fritz and Frances Tiafoe; the latter even entered the top 10 using his score from the Boss ATP. “He was the third Black man ever to enter the top 10 by winning at the Boss Open, allowing us to be part of tennis and sporting history,” Kokni says. The tournament also features a pop-up shop selling Boss clothing, including the brand’s performance wear collaboration with Berrettini. “The event performs from a brand perspective really well, but also from a commercial perspective really, really well, Kokni says. “It was the right moment with the right product in the right way.”
For Gen Z-focused Hugo, the brand creates more light-hearted, youthful activations like the Hugo Garage at the Miami Grand Prix. “The Hugo brand is more for the rebellious digital native versus Boss, which is a little more about curated style,” Kokni says. So the brand brought this energy to the artsy Wynwood area with DJs and a miniature motor racing track. “It was really successful in bringing new audiences to the Hugo brand,” she says.
“This year is a magical culmination. Everything is happening. But I think we’ve seen over time that sports personalities are the ones that people are watching these days,” adds Kokni. “Media wise, through their impact, through their influence, and through the growing influence of sport, today’s athletes are the answer to movie and music stars.”
