AJ and Gary Vaynerchuk have made yet another big move for their New York-based agency, VaynerSports. Late last month, VaynerSports hired NCLUSIVE Co-founder and CEO Justin Giangrande to open the firm’s Los Angeles office and take over as Executive Vice President.
“It is very rare that you get to be a part of something where you truly believe in the product which you are selling every single day, but on this occasion I do,” said Giangrande. “Very few times do you get the opportunity to join something that is such a seamless fit as well.”
Giangrande joins VaynerSports after six years as CEO of NCLUSIVE, a marketing and branding firm that focused on melding strategy and creativity to build strong brands for top athletes, celebrities, and influencers while also driving overall marketing and endorsement revenue. This branding expertise made Giangrande the perfect addition to the agency.
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“First & foremost Justin is someone that I like and trust,” said AJ. “That very basic notion is foundational for anybody that we bring on to join our team. In addition, adding Justin’s marketing expertise in this industry along with building our presence in LA are both huge wins for VaynerSports as we grow out our capabilities & offering.”
Adding Giangrande to the team also provides a foothold into a key market in the sports and entertainment industry and gives the firm a presence closer to its clientele out west. Giangrande is based in Los Angeles and will lead all of the firm’s west coast operations out of their Sherman Oaks office.
““We’re going to push the envelope on overall athlete brand building.””
— Justin Giangrande
VaynerSports has lofty goals for its inaugural draft class and Giangrande has wasted no time getting to work. In only a few short weeks, Giangrande has hit the ground running, helping clients hone in on their branding and marketing strategies.
This level of work ethic, combined with branding prowess, is exactly what VaynerSports expects of its newest Executive Vice President. Giangrande also understands convention needs to be challenged in order to evolve the sports agency business.
“We’re going to push the envelope on overall athlete brand building,” said Giangrande. “And I’m here to help take this thing to the next level.”
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