By Thomas Burkel
Stephen Curry is arguably one of the best basketball players of all time. Known for his dagger three-pointers, insane crossovers, and dazzling footwork, Curry is a force to be reckoned with. He is also a playmaker when it comes to his off-the-field brand. Curry partnered with Under Armour in 2013, and in 2020 created his label (DePaula 2023). The Curry Brand then blossomed. Here he used certain Corporate Social Responsibility Initiatives (CSR) to make real-world change. From partnering with influential athletes to working with notable foundations to fund youth sports, Curry has utilized his brand to influence future generations. In this read, I will highlight the CSR initiatives of the Curry Brand, and tie it into how the brand is influencing the future of women’s college basketball through their work with LSU star MiLaysia Fulwiley.
What is the Curry Brand?
The Curry Brand was founded by Stephen Curry in 2013. The brand is partnered with the clothing brand Under Armour. When it comes to on-the-court accessories, the brand focuses on footwear and clothing. The Curry Brand partners with athletes who are making an impact on and off the court. In recent years, the brand has partnered with MiLaysia Fulwiley, DeAron Fox, and Keisei Tominaga. These athletes have made influential strides in their respective categories in changing the game of basketball for athletes around the world. The Curry Brand has also made sure to implement its CSR initiatives in outreach support. Some of the main CSR initiatives the Curry Brand has focused on are women’s empowerment and youth sports. The Curry Brand mission is “to change the game for good” and the brand is striving to make these changes with its CSR initiatives (Under Armour 2024).
Curry Brand x MiLaysia Fulwiley
In 2024 the Curry Brand signed LSU star MiLaysia Fulwiley. Fulwiley is an up-and-coming star in women’s college basketball. In 2024 she won a Women’s National Championship with South Carolina. This was an incredible feat as she led the team to an undefeated season. This led the Curry Brand to gravitate towards Fulwiley. Fulwiley became the first-ever college athlete to sign with the Curry Brand. This highlighted one of the Curry Brand initiatives, which is empowering women athletes through sports.
Through this initiative, Fulwiley and the Curry Brand partnered on a campaign to give back to Fulwiley’s local community of Columbia, South Carolina. In the campaign, Fulwiley gave back to her high school basketball team. To spark interest in this initiative, Fulwiley and the Curry Brand put up 10 billboards that stated, “Hometown Hero. Homegrown Champion.” (AdQuick 2024).
This billboard helped show Fulwiley’s roots. As a big-time figure within women’s college basketball, this slogan and campaign humanized Fulwiley. By putting these billboards in her hometown, it showed her dedication to her community. The Curry Brand used this opportunity to give back to Fulwiley’s community. In doing so, the brand supported grassroots basketball programs and athletics for younger athletes. This helped create initiative and change as it was an inspirational tactic to inspire younger hoopers to dream and achieve their goals.
Maximizing the Brand
To maximize this initiative, the Curry Brand used billboards and social media to allow fans and community members to follow the campaign. For example, as highlighted earlier, the brand put up 10 billboards of Fulwiley in her hometown to spark this initiative. This gained traction on social media as Overtimewbb and ESPN writer Nick DePaula shared the story on social media, specifically their Instagram accounts. This gained even more traction as Stephen Curry reposted this campaign onto his Instagram story. This initiative then gained traction in the news, which highlighted Fulwiley’s work in her community. This allowed the CSR initiative to gain attention from a local and national audience.
Here we see the impact of brand presence when it comes to CSR initiatives. The Curry Brand used its social platforms and understood its target audience to make a campaign that was worth sharing. Helping out the community, allowing fan engagement, and inspiring local athletes to go after their dreams were the driving forces behind this campaign. Putting this campaign on social media and implementing billboards in Fulwiley’s local community, elevated the overall communication of this campaign and helped get the messaging across.
Main Takeaways
Seeing the partnership between MiLaysia Fulwiley and the Curry Brand helps showcase the importance of CSR initiatives. These campaigns are used to create a lasting impact. Instead of benefiting a singular athlete, it benefits the future generation of athletes. Showcasing the athlete’s roots, giving back to the community, and giving aspiring basketball players hope that their dreams can be reached, are all reasons why these campaigns are initiated. The Curry Brand maximizes this potential through its value of changing the game for good. Partnering with athletes who are willing to make a change is the first step in making a significant influence on young athletes. The future is now when it comes to making an impact, and CSR initiatives are the first step in creating this change.
Sources:
AdQuick. (2024, June 6). Curry Brand’s campaign honoring MiLaysia Fulwiley’s triumph in women’s college basketball. AdQuick Newsletter. https://adquick.beehiiv.com/p/curry-brands-campaign-honoring-milaysia-fulwileys-triumph-womens-college-basketball
DePaula, N. (2023, March 30). Stephen Curry signs new long-term Under Armour agreement. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/36002760/stephen-curry-signs-new-long-term-armour-agreement
Tether Inc. (n.d.). Curry Brand. Tether. https://tether.com/work/curry-brand/
Under Armour. (2024, March 15). MiLaysia Fulwiley signs with Curry Brand. https://about.underarmour.com/en-us/stories/2024/03/milaysia-fulwiley-signs-with-curry-brand.html
Thomas Burkel 
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