CASE STUDY

Taliyah and JLab on the Same Beat

A Winning Collaboration Beyond the Track

Taliyah and JLab originally began their relationship based on a mutual connection to University of Arkansas. With Taliyah being a former student-athlete and JLab being a sponsor of Razorback Athletics there was an instant spark and interest to collaborate.

The initial campaign began after the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics once Taliyah returned home in celebration of her first Olympic experience. The partnership consisted of social posts featuring JLab audio items, as well as trade for Taliyah to purchase product for personal use. We agreed on a short-term term timeline, with exceptional value and support from their team. Both parties were excited about the natural synergy and could see a genuine relationship being formed.

Working with Integrity 9 was a game-changer for or tour business. Their innovative approach and attention to detail helped us streamline operations and achieve a 35% increase in efficiency within six months. We couldn’t have asked for a better partner in our growth journey.

Niki GoweyPartnership Coordinator at Jlab

The Challenge:
New Year, New Partner?

The Summer Olympics were officially over, and the chatter had died down. Athletes, brands and agencies were now looking forward into the new year – a non-Olympic year. What will this year look like? What kind of brands will be interested in the track and field space?

Going into the new year it’s common to set new goals, strategies and relationships. You reflect on the year before and wonder where should changes be made or past patterns be kept? Although Taliyah and JLab had a great kickoff partnership we were unsure of what changes would take place as the new year began.

The Solution: JLab and Taliyah Run it Back!

Taliyah and JLab started the year off strong! . Because of the relationship that originally developed, and trust that was understood Taliyah and JLab had a mutual interest in wanting to work with each other once again. Both parties had a great previous experience in working together – there was no question about coming together again.

JLab ended up collaborating with Taliyah for another campaign that was 2x as long as the previous campaign and reflected more than a 60% increase in value.

More than a

60%

increase in value!

Mackenzie White

Associate

Mackenzie serves as an Associate with Integrity 9. A graduate of Stony Brook University, she has a strong background in industrial marketing as well as previous experience working with Elevation Church.

Jenna Fassio

Associate

Jenna serves as an Associate with Integrity 9 supporting multiple accounts. A graduate of San Diego State University, she has previous experience working within the SDSU Athletic Department as well as with the San Diego Wave FC.

Janelle Bailey

Associate

Janelle serves as an Associate with Integrity 9. Having previously worked with the WNBPA and Legacy Philanthropy, she holds a Master’s in Sports Law and Business from Arizona State and a BA in Communications with a focus in Media Studies from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Dylan Westerman

Associate

Dylan serves as an Associate with Integrity 9. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas and has previous experience working in college athletics with the Gazelle Group and Kansas Athletics Development.

Wes Engram

President

Wes began Integrity 9 in 2017 after 16 years of experience in partnership development for professional sports, including senior roles with the Kansas City Royals and New York Mets.

Ryan Meagher

Manager of Property Sales

Ryan joined Integrity 9 in 2023 as a Manager of Property Sales. Ryan’s previous experience in business development was gained throughout several roles within Minor League Baseball.

MALLORY HADAWAY

Account Director

Mallory serves as an Account Director, leading the day-to-day partnership activation for current clients. Mallory joins Integrity 9 with a strong background in corporate partnerships and sports marketing through previous experiences at Learfield-IMG and the Atlanta Braves.

KENNEDY ZEIHER

Account Director

Kennedy is an Account Director at Integrity 9 focused on partnership strategy, activation, and client management. She has previous experience in collegiate and experiential marketing, most recently leading campaigns and events for national brands across sports and entertainment.

KARLINA SAMPLE

Coordinator, Sports & Talent Marketing

Karlina serves as Coordinator, Sports & Talent Marketing with Integrity 9. A graduate of Texas A&M University, she has previous experience working with the Texas A&M Marketing & Communications department.

JUSTIN BUCK

SVP, Head of Business Development

Justin joined Integrity 9 in 2022 after 15 years of driving revenue and partnership development for major professional sports organizations. Justin serves as SVP, Head of Business Development and oversees new property sales and brand consulting relationships.

JOHN SMAGALA

Account Director

John serves as the Account Director, Sports Marketing at Integrity 9. He brings partnership solutions and activation experience from his previous roles with various sports & entertainment properties including the Brooklyn Nets & Barclays Center, Major League Baseball and the New York Mets.

HANNAH ARMENT

Account Executive, Property Sales

Hannah serves as an Account Executive, Property Sales at Integrity 9. She brings a strong sales background with prior experience in the tech and financial services industries.

GABE RENDON

SVP of Consulting

Gabe is our SVP of Consulting and brings extensive sports partnership experience to Integrity 9, most recently serving as the Director of Partnerships for the XFL’s St. Louis BattleHawks. Prior to the XFL, Gabe served in various partnership sales and management roles within Minor League Baseball both at the team level and league office.

EMILY PETERSON

Account Manager

Emily serves as an Account Manager, assisting with multiple properties at Integrity 9. She has previous experience working in the athletic department at The College of William & Mary.

DRAKE MARKER

Account Manager of Sponsorship Sales

Drake serves as an Account Manager of Sponsorship Sales at Integrity 9. He has previous experience in Major League Baseball working for the Kansas City Royals since 2018.

DAVID HAYOB

Chief Revenue Officer

David joined Integrity 9 as Chief Revenue Officer after over 18 years working in partnership sales and marketing in professional sports and the collegiate space. David was most recently with the University of Kansas as head of Jayhawk Community Partners after serving in leadership roles with the New York Mets, AEG, and Kansas City Royals.

CHRIS WUJCIK

Vice President of Brand Consulting

Chris serves as the Vice President of Brand Consulting. He has unparalleled sponsorship experience, having managed the Anheuser Busch local sports portfolio for 15 years. His focus is in helping clients build sponsorship strategies, evaluate partnership opportunities, and negotiate the right deals.

BEN TSCHUDY

Account Director

Ben is an Account Director at Integrity 9 working on strategy and management of current and prospective partners. He has previous experience in college athletics most recently in partnership roles for Learfield IMG College.