Dove joins the US Open as the 'Official Sponsor of Underarms'
- Aug 13
- 2 min read
Updated: 4 days ago
Dove Deodorant is returning to the 2026 US Open as the self-styled 'Official Sponsor of Underarms', a witty sponsorship that fuses tennis, fashion photography and body-confidence to own a category no rival had thought to claim.
A sponsorship with a wink
Dove is back at the US Open with one of the sharpest category plays in sports marketing: branding itself the 'Official Sponsor of Underarms'. It is a deliberately funny, deliberately ownable position — no competitor can credibly claim the same territory.
The activation leans into style as much as sport, working with fashion photographers to capture courtside looks without the tell-tale white deodorant marks. It turns a functional product benefit into a fashion-and-confidence story at one of the year's biggest style stages.
Why the framing is so smart
The US Open is a marketing magnet, drawing roughly a million fans on-site each year plus a vast broadcast audience. Dozens of brands sponsor it; almost none find a way to be genuinely distinctive. Dove's move is a masterclass in carving out a niche nobody else can own.
Our read at Marketing Minute: 'Official Sponsor of Underarms' works because it is specific, true to the product and impossible to copy. Distinctiveness is not about the biggest logo — it is about claiming a space in the mind that competitors cannot follow you into.
The lesson for brand marketers
When you sponsor a crowded event, the danger is disappearing into a sea of logos. The brands that win find an angle only they can plausibly own — tied directly to their product truth.
Ask what territory your product uniquely earns the right to claim, then dramatise it with humour and craft. That is how a deodorant becomes the most talked-about brand at a tennis tournament.
Quick FAQ
What is Dove's US Open sponsorship?
Dove Deodorant is returning to the 2026 US Open positioned as the 'Official Sponsor of Underarms', a witty, ownable sponsorship blending tennis, fashion and body-confidence.
Why is the 'Sponsor of Underarms' idea effective?
It is specific, tied to a genuine product truth and impossible for rivals to copy — a textbook example of claiming distinctive territory at a crowded event rather than just buying a bigger logo.
What can marketers learn from it?
At heavily-sponsored events, find the angle only your brand can plausibly own, rooted in your product's real benefit, and dramatise it with craft and humour to stand out.
— Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Marketing Minute
The takeaway: at crowded events, distinctiveness comes from owning a specific territory tied to your product truth — not from buying the biggest logo.
What territory could your brand own that no competitor could credibly copy?
If you would like to know more about this topic, please contact us on danieln@merxmarketing.co.uk
Sources: Marketing Dive, PR Newswire, MediaPost.
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Written by Daniel Nikolla, Founder of Marketing Minute
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