Cam Ward and Jalen Milroe Partner with Giorgio Armani

In the past month, two college football star quarterbacks have each announced new deals with luxury fashion brand Giorgio Armani.

The Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals aren’t your average partnerships. Both athletes currently represent two of the strongest teams in college football, so it’s only fitting that they promote two of the brand’s signature colognes.

Cam Ward – Aqua Di Gio

Miami’s star-studded quarterback (QB) Cam Ward announced his new partnership with Armani at the beginning of the month. 

As part of the deal, the 22-year-old posted an advertisement on his Instagram promoting the brand’s Aqua Di Gio cologne.

“Look good, play good. Smell good, play good,” Ward said in the ad.

The deal was curated by the NIL agency ‘Postgame.’ Throughout October, the Armani campaign featured over 250 college athletes.

“The Armani strategy of involving a curated list of nationally known college athletes, along with hundreds of regionally relevant names, was an extremely effective way to reach Gen-Z at scale through social media,” said Bill Jula, CEO & Co-Founder of Postgame. “The athletes really enjoyed stepping up their game and producing quality content for the brand, resulting in significant visibility among their fans and followers,” NIL Daily on SI reports.

Companies of all kinds are all over Ward to represent them this season. Aside from this deal, the QB has worked with Adidas, C4 Energy, Bose, and more.

Heading into Week 13, Ward has over 3,400 passing yards. The Hurricanes boast a 9-1 record and are on track to be serious playoff contenders.

Jalen Milroe – Stronger With You

Alabama QB Jalen Milroe also announced his partnership with the brand on Tuesday. Milroe is promoting another one of the brand’s scents, ‘Stronger With You.’

“Confidence is more than just showing up,” Milroe said. “It’s about staying ready. ‘Stronger With You Intensely’ keeps me grounded no matter the noise. Whether I’m on the field or just getting through the day, I know I’ve got that edge.”

Like Ward, Milroe has a varied collection of NIL deals. The 21-year-old  has an over $2 million NIL valuation due to his deals with brands like Beats by Dre, Celsius, and Uber Eats.

NIL’s evolution

It has been more than two years since NIL deals began. At first, fans saw the same deals, usually involving athletic brands or food/drinks. 

Not only has the number of brands increased in terms of the NIL landscape, but the types of brands are also evolving.

More often, we are seeing athletes receive luxury goods in the form of cars, handbags, and clothing. 

Not only does this elevate the athletes’ images, but it also introduces these brands to new audiences.

“Luxury brands provide athletes with coveted goods that enhance their image and, in turn, amplify the brand’s association. Today, we see NIL deals blurring the lines between sports figures and style icons, appealing to brands focused on lifestyle and luxury marketing,” Business of College Sports reports.

Victoria Jonach is an aspiring writer and media analyst fascinated by the activities players participate in off the football field. Growing up in New Jersey, she is a New York Giants fan and attends Rutgers University, pursuing a career in Journalism and Media Studies. She writes for FirstRoundMock.com covering anticipated draft picks and their acts of volunteerism, entrepreneurship, and other interests that shape these individuals.