Deandre Ayton Needs A Mattress

Shoot Your Shot is my personal series where I ideate in public for brand partnerships that I would love to make happen or see come to life...You miss 100 % of the shots you don't take

Perfect scenario where you can turn a pain point into a partnership. This is a simple shoot your shot that can be applied immediately. Someone from Deandre's camp should have reached out to the countless mattress brands out there; Casper , Sleep Number Corporation , Tuft & Needle , Purple , etc and pitched a brand partnership. Simple UGC content speaking about the benefits of recovery, proper sleep, having a routine for rest due to his heavy workload and natural physique would make for a true authentic partnership. He would be able to speak to the ease of delivery and how the mattress was a seamless process in his move.

I know first hand these companies are at the very least willing to give out a mattress in exchange for social content. I was fortunate enough to work with Bear Mattress when they first stepped into the market.

If I was working on the brand side, I would see this article or quote and immediately get in touch with Deandre Ayton and his team. These are the type of authentic integrated partnerships that you're looking for to build brand awareness and drive conversions. While Deandre may not be the face of a franchise, he still has amazing value as an athlete creator. He boast over 450K followers on Instagram and doesn't seem to be shy in front of the camera.

When it comes to finding value with partnerships, it's easy to overlook the countless opportunities there are by only focusing on the big deals. Everyone wants a shoe deal, everyone wants a car deal, everyone wants to go to fashion week...unfortunately there's only so many of those deals that can go around. As an athlete looking to build, find ways to turn your pain points into partnerships and create more meaningful and relatable partnerships. Trust me when I say, there's money in these deals as well and more leverage in terms of creative input and business strategy.

Don't be afraid to reach out if you're looking for help as an athlete or brand looking for ways to create tangible authentic partnerships with various stakeholders!

Side Note:

Personally, I have so many questions as to why Deandre Ayton found himself in this peculiar situation for so long during the season but that's besides the point. I'm assuming that he may have been waiting for his furniture to arrive or was in between moves because why couldn't he have bought a mattress to suffice until his situation was resolved. I know players are usually allotted a certain amount of time in a hotel until they get adjusted.