DWS Group is teaming up with the Los Angeles Lakers, hoping to burnish its brand and extend its reach worldwide through a multiseason sponsorship agreement.
DWS is the Lakers' official global investment sponsor, and the deal includes displaying DWS' logo in the STAPLES Center in Los Angeles where the National Basketball Association team plays its home games, and social media engagement jointly with the team, said J.J. Wilczewski, head of Americas client coverage and global head of institutional clients and consultants at DWS, in an email.
DWS' name and brand will also be featured on official Lakers digital channels and in some marketing campaigns, including on social media. Terms of the agreement are not being disclosed.
DWS and the Lakers will also partner on several community initiatives and outreach projects in the U.S. and abroad. One initiative is that DWS will sponsor the Lakers' "In the Paint" fine arts program showcasing the original works of minority artists in Los Angeles.
It is all part of a deal to extend the $1.1 trillion manager's worldwide brand. The Lakers team has the largest social media following of all North American professional sports teams. The team also has an enthusiastic following in Asia, one of DWS' core growth markets, and is the most popular NBA team in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K.
