The worlds of basketball and hair care are colliding in a historic partnership. What’s more, a Black woman founder and CEO is at the helm of it!
On July 13, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced that Mielle, founded by Monique Rodriguez, is its new official marketing partner — marking as the league’s first-ever official textured hair care partner — according to a press release shared with AfroTech.
In the multi-year partnership, Mielle is set to empower women through activating at tentpole events, conducting WNBA-themed marketing and retail programs, and introducing WNBA players to new products, the press release details.
“We’re excited to partner with the WNBA to celebrate the best women’s basketball talent in the world,” President at Mielle Omar Goff shared in a press statement. “Mielle was founded by queen Monique Rodriguez and is committed to ensuring the queens on the court have superior products to confidently embrace their natural hair beauty. Mielle was built on the foundation of providing high quality, natural products for textured hair. The WNBA partnership enables Mielle to empower players through exceptional hair care.”
In addition, Mielle is marked as an associate partner of WNBA Live presented by U.S. Bank, and will be involved in a promotion campaign for brand exposure of the league’s media partners. The integration will be seen on the WNBA’s digital assets and socials.
“The WNBA is excited to partner with Mielle, a brand that is committed to empowering women and supporting women’s sports,” said WNBA Chief Growth Officer Colie Edison. “This year’s WNBA Live in Las Vegas will not only give us the chance to celebrate our game, but also the opportunity to tip off this dynamic partnership with Mielle.”
The WNBA and Mielle’s partnership officially kicks off on July 15 at the 2023 AT&T WNBA All-Star Game at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas, NV.
