Boricua tennis star Mónica Puig has hardly let up since she rocked the world with an historical gold medal win at this year’s Rio Olympics. Almost immediately after the young athlete wrapped up in Brazil, she hopped right back onto the WTA tour and has been battling her way through tournaments like the US and Tokyo Pan Pacific Opens as she steadily climbs up the international rankings.
But even though the 23-year-old hasn’t yet broken the coveted top-10 to join vanquished rivals like Angelique Kerber and Garbiñe Muguruza, her name recognition in Puerto Rico and beyond is easily on par with the some of the world’s top athletes – while on the island her star power simply can’t be matched. Indeed, one need only glance at Puerto Rico’s exuberant reception of Puig off her Rio win to understand how much weight she holds with her fellow Boricuas.
And of course, as any beloved athlete knows, this all means that Pica Power has a lot of social capital to cash in on with potential sponsors and brand partners. In fact, some have placed Puig’s market value as high as $20.8 million, and a number of publicists have cited her bilingualism, charisma, and – let’s face it – good looks as part of a well-rounded package that could soon land Puig in the major leagues of brand spokespeople.
In fact, in addition to being sponsored by Asics and racket manufacturer Babolat, Puig’s actually been making endorsements for brands like Chrysler, Dodge, and sports apparel company Ellesse for over two years: a fact that has supplemented her income by over $1 million, according to estimates. Since her win at Rio, Puig has followed up with a spot for AT&T while also joining the Puerto Rico Tourism Company to dispel fears over Zika on the island, adding to a growing list that will likely explode as she fights her way up the WTA ranks.
So what’s on the horizon for Mónica Puig? Sneakers? Perfume? Vodka? Only time will tell, but while we wait here’s a look back at the ad campaigns that have been lucky enough to feature this rising Puerto Rican star.