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The Phoenix Mercury is the latest team to attract interest from the beauty industry, announcing K-beauty label Laneige as its official skincare partner, The Business of Fashion has learned.
For Laneige, the deal constitutes a well timed entry into the league which has recorded unprecedented TV viewership, stadium attendance and commercial interest since the season began in May.
The brand is set to kick off the partnership at the WNBA All-Star Weekend in Phoenix on July 18 with a range of consumer activations and VIP gifting. The Mercury counts some of the league’s most revered players in their roster, including three-time WNBA champion Diana Taurasi and 10-time All-Star Brittney Griner.
Laneige is betting that the association with the team — at a time when there has been more eyeballs than ever before on women’s hoops — will help it grow sales among consumers in Phoenix and the surrounding region, which it views as an untapped market for the brand.
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“This will be our first time stepping into Arizona and interacting with a brand new audience and market,” said Julien Bouzitat, general manager of Laneige. “We’re especially excited to be tapping into their huge sports community during one of the biggest events in women’s sports this year.”
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