Boardroom caught up with the WNBA All-Star MVP to learn how the Raid Shoe Saver campaign came to life, the biggest business takeaway she learned from Kobe Bryant, and more.
As one of the WNBA’s premier scorers and the league’s most recent All-Star Game MVP, Dallas Wings star Arike Ogunbowale has been receiving a constant stream of endorsement deal offers as the marketing around the W continues to ramp up.
“When I first heard from Raid,” she recently recalled. “I was like, ‘I don’t know what they really want with me.’”
The mainstay bug spray brand founded in the 1950s was launching a new campaign with a strategic twist and tie-in to the sneaker community.
Charged with a recent survey insight that 60% of people use their shoes to try and swat away and get rid of bugs, the company was looking to launch the Raid Shoe Saver campaign as a way for consumers to both save their sneakers, unlock discounts, and instead use Raid when in need.
The national Raid campaign is headlined by two of the WNBA and NBA’s biggest sneakerheads: Arike and PJ Tucker.
“When I heard about the campaign, I thought, ‘Oh, I’m perfect for it! They know exactly what they want,’” Ogunbowale beamed.
Fans can unlock a discount through the Shoe Saver website, with a $2 discount given to smaller sizes and a $1 discount for larger sizes extending up to a Size 22. The smaller the shoe size, the bigger the savings, since smaller shoes’ surface areas can make killing bugs even harder.
“I’m a 9.5 in Men’s, and PJ is a Size 14 and definitely up on the higher end, so I’ll save more than him, at least,” Ogunbowale joked.
Boardroom caught up with Ogunbowale to hear all about how Raid Shoe Saver came to life, her favorites from her recent run of Nike PEs, the biggest business takeaway she learned from Kobe Bryant, and more.
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Nick DePaula: This Raid campaign is really creative. How excited were you to be the face of their newest campaign?
Arike Ogunbowale: I have a lot of shoes, and the concept with the Shoe Saver to save your shoes and use Raid instead is really cool. Especially since they thought about me and they’re incorporating themselves into basketball and sneaker culture. It’s definitely dope, and it’s on brand.
NDP: I gotta ask — what was your bug-swatting approach growing up? Did you use a shoe or swatter?
AO: Whatever was closest. There was always a swatter in the house, but it may not be there at the time you need it. Once you walk away, that bug just flies a thousand miles an hour, so you gotta keep your eye on it.
NDP: How have you seen your marketing evolve in the last few years?
AO: I think people are diving in over the last couple of years into the marketability of WNBA players, and social media has a big part to do with that. [Brands] can see your personality, what you post, what you wear, and your type of vibes. If it aligns with their brand, it’s a perfect platform. If you have a following on social media, it’s going to be seen.
I love that brands are diving in and investing in the players. Obviously, you make your money in the WNBA, but you need to make your money in sponsorships as well. It benefits both and they’re going to get their return on investment by investing in players.
NDP: To me, the Buick commercial had a more serious tone and the State Farm ad was a funny approach. Where do you see yourself landing on that spectrum when you’re assessing what kinds of deals to take on and who to partner with?
AO: [I’m drawn to] something that I would use or that I would put my name behind. I wouldn’t do anything that I wouldn’t use in my life ’cause I wouldn’t want to be pictured using it, or it wouldn’t make sense for me.
If I think it’s something that is funny or serious, I can do both, and it comes down to it being a cool concept for a commercial. I think the brands that do well, I express what my personality is and how I think it fits them, and they [create the concept and] make sure that it isn’t anything that I’m uncomfortable with.
NDP: You wore Curry 4s at Notre Dame, which is obviously an Under Armour school.
AO: I did! I loved those.
NDP: That’s probably my favorite Curry, too, actually. When you were coming in as a pro, what was that whole process like for you, and what ultimately led you to sign with Nike?
AO: It was the best offer, and obviously, every kid grows up wearing Nike. I already had a lot of Jordans and Nikes, and it was just super on-brand. As that partnership grew, I re-signed with them after my first rookie shoe deal was up. I love being with Nike, and I would love to stay with Nike.
NDP: Obviously, the signature shoe conversation is a big one around the league right now, but you have one of the better designations that most players strive for as well, which is having your own PE release at retail. What was it like having your own GT Cut 2 release inspired by your hometown of Milwaukee and with your name on it? What was that design process like?
AO: Every year, you can choose your season PEs, but nobody can buy them. I’m pretty creative, and people will say, “Wow, I like those!” And usually, I have to say, “Sorry, they’re just in my size.” [laughs] To actually have a shoe that people could buy — and for me, to be able to put my city on it and be able to put my family’s name on it, that was special.
My favorite color is orange, and there was just a lot of me tied into it. The skyline on the back was super dope. They said they hadn’t done that before. I have the skyline tatted on me, so I wanted to add that in there and the back of it was perfect.
I just love hoopin’ in them. I’m hooping in my own shoe — and I would’ve never thought about that happening. To have my family and my friends buy it and have a little piece of me on their feet and be excited about it was super dope.
NDP: What are some other themes that you’ve come up with and wanted to add to your PEs?
AO: The PEs that I have for this year with the GT Cut 3s, I had a really bright red with a gold Swoosh, a light purple and red, and then, I love all-white shoes too. I have an all-white with a gold Swoosh. I’m big on all-white shoes, but I also like good color pops, so they let me be versatile. I have another all-orange on the way, but it’s more of a highlighter orange.
NDP: Are there any other themes that you’re looking to bring to life on your future PEs?
AO: I want to get in touch with my Nigerian side and show some love to that. I also have Dallas roots now and have been here for six years now. This is really my second home, and I plan to be here for a while. I’m tying that all into it.
NDP: I was able to go to the All-Star Game and watch you go crazy in the second half. You had the bright red and green Kobe 6 PEs on in that game. What was the process of wearing those in the game like?
AO: I asked before, “What shoe am I wearing?” Because if it’s going to be a shoe that everyone else is wearing, I like to be different, and would just bring my own shoes. They said there’d be another player wearing them, but those were just too hard not to wear. Those were tough. The pink was super tough, and I love those shoes. They’re probably my favorite Kobe to date, for sure.
NDP: I’ve noticed you wear the Grinches a ton as well. Which ones are your favorites over the years from the Kobe series?
AO: The 6s and the All-Star ones now, but the Grinches and the Reverse Grinches, those are just super dope. I also like the “Del Sol” with the black Swoosh and yellow accents ’cause I’m just a super big fan of white shoes.
NDP: I know you’ve gotten a chance to work out with Kobe before and had that great moment on Ellen, but was there anything off the court that has really stuck with you from your interactions?
AO: Just how aware and on top of his own investing that he was. He was talking about things that he invested in early, and that meant that he really was doing his research and knowing where he wanted to put his money. As athletes, we have busy lives, but for him, he wanted to control that, be on top of it, and know exactly where your money is going.
It’s really smart. I took that, and when something is brought up, or I’m looking around and thinking I might like something, I’m taking more ownership of my money and investing because you won’t be able to play basketball forever.
NDP: What are some of the categories that you’re focused on?
AO: Right now, I’m really big on youth and women-led companies. I’m an advisor for Swizzle Ventures, which is a company that invests in female-led startups. Aligning myself with that, thinking about women empowerment and being a black athlete as well, I’m actually putting my money where my mouth is and helping people that come up like me, have a dream and have aspirations to be great in their field. I’m doing what I can with that.
NDP: How will that All-Star MVP performance fuel you into the second half of the season?
AO: I wish that win counted on our record. [laughs] That would’ve been nice, but sadly it doesn’t. We’re just trying to be better than the first half and now that we have our full roster, try to compete and make that playoff run.
It’s going to be exciting for all teams. I love watching, even when I’m not playing because the product is so good, and we have great players. I’m excited to be a fan and watch, but I’m also excited to compete.
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