Stephen Curry Joins OXIGEN as Investor, Brand Ambassador

Oxygen-enhanced water brand OXIGEN announced today that Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry has joined its team as an investor, advisory board member and global face of the brand.

Curry’s investment is part of OXIGEN’s Series B funding round, which was originally slated to close in February but was “reopened and upsized” to include Curry and other strategic investors, said OXIGEN founder and CEO Blair Bentham. The size of Curry’s investment was not disclosed. Bentham said further details of the round will be announced at the end of the month, and the funds for the round will be used “almost entirely” for marketing and advertising efforts.

According to Bentham, Curry was introduced to OXIGEN through one of the brand’s shareholders and advisory board members. The three-time NBA champion expressed interest in getting involved with the company after trying OXIGEN’s product, which was “his determining factor,” Bentham said. When the company began discussions with SC30 Inc., Curry’s company which manages his brand partnerships, media, investments and philanthropy, Bentham said OXIGEN found that Curry’s “goals and objectives” matched those of the brand.

“I’m constantly searching to do things the right way, on and off the court,” Curry said in a press release. “Whether it’s playing basketball, raising children, or building businesses, I always want to challenge the status quo and become a better version of myself. OXIGEN offers the best in product and the best option in sustainability for our planet. I couldn’t be more excited to join the team as an owner, and to contribute in this next stage of hyper-growth.”

Curry, who has previously starred in campaigns for brands in the food and beverage space including Capri Sun, Muscle Milk and Brita, will also be featured in OXIGEN’s new marketing initiatives and on the brand’s point-of-sale materials at retailers nationwide. Later this month, the brand will launch a new national marketing campaign with the tagline “Recover & Rise” through digital, social and out of home media, which Bentham said focuses on frontline workers and first responders.

“Our focus with Stephen is less so his on-the-court prowess, more so his off-the-court attributes and focuses of how he how he handles his life in regards to being a husband and a father and a businessman, philanthropist and community activist,” Bentham said.

With its marketing initiatives, Bentham said the brand has simplified its approach, moving away from “over-education” in favor of driving brand awareness and engagement. The new campaign will highlight OXIGEN’s added stabilized oxygen and the 100% rPET packaging. It will also be more “lifestyle-focused” rather than zeroing in specifically on athletics in an effort to appeal to its wider consumer base, which Bentham said is about 65% female.

At the helm of the new marketing push is OXIGEN VP of marketing Joen Choe, who joined the team in June. Brentham called Choe, previously VP of marketing at cannabis company Acreage Holdings, a “phenomenal add” to the team.

The brand has also expanded its sales team, adding TJ Leenders, formerly of ZICO, Runa and Hiball, as the brand’s director of national accounts, East. Bentham said the brand’s sales volume has increased over the last four months since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. It has also expanded its distribution, adding Kroger, CVS and Stop & Shop, bringing its door count to 45,000 across all 50 states. OXIGEN’s latest launch, a 23.7 oz. sport cap bottle, will hit retail shelves in September.