Why Ferrari, Chanel, Louis Vuitton are betting on sports

The Paris Marathon 2025 saw over 50,000 runners cross the finish line on April 12, highlighting sport’s evolving cultural significance and its growing intersection with luxury. The event captured a powerful paradox: mass participation alongside deeply personal journeys. Each participant embodied this duality — surrounded by thousands, yet focused inward. Guided by technology, yet attuned to their bodies’ rhythms. For many, the race represented three to five hours of meditation in motion — a disciplined pursuit amid global uncertainty. In an era of collective unwellness, movement has become a form of healing, and feeling good has emerged as the ultimate luxury. This might explain why sport is becoming increasingly influential, with the global sports sponsorship market projected to reach $115 billion this year, according to PwC. This shift extends beyond financial growth to fundamental changes in meaning and cultural significance. Brands are responding with strategic repositioning. On and Adidas exemplify this evolution, moving away from performance pressure toward community empowerment. On’s recent “Soft Wins” platform featured Sesame Street’s Elmo with the message: “Stay loose. Run soft. Bring friends.” The brand followed this with its “Zone Dreamers” campaign starring Zendaya, celebrating confidence and collective movement. Similarly, Adidas has shifted from its iconic “Impossible is nothing” slogan to a gentler “You got this,” emphasizing supportive belief systems. Rising tennis star João Fonseca captured this philosophy when he stated: “Of course I want to be number 1. But my dream is to play tennis, and I’m achieving it.” A new sporting era has emerged — one that offers brands opportunities for deeper, more authentic connections. In a business environment fixated on immediate results, questions arise about creating lasting impact and what these cultural transformations mean for luxury’s future. Here’s how forward-thinking brands are navigating these shifts through strategic initiatives that define the new rules of engagement. Ferrari: From pit lane to pulse check On March 30, 2025, motorsport met endurance running in a unique event. The Half Marathon of Italy “Memorial Enzo Ferrari” welcomed 10,000 runners to a route starting at the Ferrari Museum, winding through the factory grounds, and circling the Fiorano circuit. Dedicated to Enzo Ferrari’s relentless drive, the event symbolized pushing limits — just like every runner. Kenyan athletes Emmanuel Wafula and Gladys Cherop led the competition, while 4,000 participants joined non-competitive runs. Displays of Ferrari excellence, including the Scuderia Formula One car and 499P Hypercar, connected fans to the brand's heritage. Finishers received medals made with Ferrari’s advanced additive manufacturing technology, blending innovation and tradition. The marque also donated to local causes, highlighting a commitment to sport, inclusion, and legacy. Chanel: Tradition in motion As sport matures globally, some brands are daring to tap into disciplines rooted in heritage. Last year, Chanel signed a long-term partnership with the Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, becoming its title sponsor and official timekeeper. On April 13, Cambridge secured victory in both men’s and women’s races under a gray London sky. As Frédéric Grangié, President of Chanel Watches & Fine Jewellery, pointed out, rowing and watchmaking share the need for perfect synchronicity. Elsewhere, brands like Prada, Chanel, and Balenciaga are embracing padel — a sport having a cultural moment. In a tight market, brands are seizing white spaces to engage with intention and cultural relevance, supporting emerging disciplines that align with their heritage. Apple and Oura: Personalization with purpose As Yalda Alaoui said on the Beyond Luxury podcast: “Health is the ultimate luxury because it’s the only thing we cannot buy.” Consumers’ understanding of health has evolved, moving from reactive care to proactive cultivation — with wearables leading the way. Apple recently announced its boldest health move yet: an AI-powered health platform launching in 2026. Synthesizing data from Apple Watches, iPhones, AirPods, and third-party devices, it will deliver hyper-personalized insights, underscoring CEO Tim Cook’s belief that Apple’s greatest legacy will be in healthcare. Meanwhile, Oura — valued at $5.2 billion — is placing women’s health at the center, responding to a demographic historically overlooked by health tech. Today, 70% of its new customers are women. The broader message for brands: Sport and wellness are catalysts for systemic change, pushing personalization and gender-responsive design into the mainstream. Louis Vuitton: Making GOATs human Sports are anything but linear. Every athlete’s journey includes struggles and setbacks, and today’s storytelling embraces this duality. Louis Vuitton’s Extended Podcast recently hosted tennis star Carlos Alcaraz, who reflected on balancing pressure and joy: “Sometimes it’s difficult to deal with nerves, but when that happens I remember to have fun — I’ve made my dream come true.” Netflix has similarly tapped into this space with documentaries like Break Point, F1: Drive to Survive, and the upcoming Carlos Alcaraz: My Way. Podcasts by hosts like Jay Shetty are also helping athletes like Lewis Hamilton and Novak Djokovic reveal their personal journeys. In an era driven by perfectionism — 45% of people report wellbeing burnout according to Lululemon’s 2024 Wellbeing Report — these stories remind us that vulnerability, not perfection, connects us to the joy of dreaming. Why this matters At its core, the intersection of sport and luxury has always been defined by performance and excellence. But today, differentiation demands more than status symbols. It demands crafting experiences that help people reconnect—with themselves, others, and their purpose. True value lies in embracing a holistic health approach, celebrating vulnerability, and keeping dreams alive in a playful, inspiring way. Just like a marathon, every kilometer counts — strengthening brands, businesses, and leaders for the road ahead.

Why Ferrari, Chanel, Louis Vuitton are betting on sports

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Published April 26, 2025

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Why Ferrari, Chanel, Louis Vuitton are betting on sports