Hungarian superstar Katinka Hosszu‘s ‘Iron Lady’ brand has opened its own store at the 2017 FINA World Aquatics Championships.
Separate from the massive Arena store, with whom Iron Corporation is partnered on a suit deal, this trailer-style store is full of exclusively merchandise themed for Katinka Hosszu and her husband and coach Shane Tusup.
The list of items for sale include thunder sticks, hats, cups, stickers, Iron Lady comic books, and – our personal favorite – Katinka and Shane dolls.
The store is the next incarnation of the growth of the Iron Lady brand, which has become a text book for Olympic sport athletes around the world. While the brand continues to grow and pull its weight (Hosszu is the head of a group of athletes who are pulling together into what is the beginnings of an athletes union), Iron Corporation itself is battling demons – they’re being sued by a former employee.
SwimSwam photographer Mike Lewis stopped by to snap some pictures of the store, which can be seen below.
Katinka Hosszu store 2017 World Championships Budapest, Hungary (photo: Mike Lewis)
Katinka Hosszu store 2017 World Championships Budapest, Hungary (photo: Mike Lewis)
Katinka Hosszu store 2017 World Championships Budapest, Hungary (photo: Mike Lewis)
Katinka Hosszu store 2017 World Championships Budapest, Hungary (photo: Mike Lewis)
Katinka Hosszu store 2017 World Championships Budapest, Hungary (photo: Mike Lewis)
Katinka Hosszu store 2017 World Championships Budapest, Hungary (photo: Mike Lewis)
Good for her on several fronts.
Branding like this creates an image that hopefully extends well beyond the relatively small fan base of competitive swimming. If swimming is going to grow as a sport, we need more forward thinking athletes like Katinka who create excitement outside of the normal Olympic cycle.
Think about it for a moment: We have an aging population, swimming is probably the best lifelong activity for people, so why have all the branded, well-known athletes in football, basketball, baseball, etc? We need little girls who dream of being the next “Iron Lady” and then decide to take up swimming. We need masters swimmers that all know exactly who is the Iron Lady and are… Read more »
Agree. But what this means is all excellent swimmers need to grab a copy of the Periodic Table of Elements ASAP, because this branding style is going to be like claiming land. First come, first serve. Gold Medal Mel is already taken. I suspect names like “Chlorine Chica”, “Platinum Dude”, and “Oxygen Goddess” will get scooped up quickly. All of the fun elements will be colonized early. Those late to the show will be stuck making nicknames like “Mendelevium Guy” or “Rutherfordium Man”. Imagine those phrases on a t-shirt and being sold at World Champs 2019. Ewwww.
Thanks. OK. Well, just for fun, consider the following: Ask any random person you meet (here in the states) to name some famous competitive swimmers Beyond Michael Phelps and maybe, maybe Ryan Lochte, I think we agree you would get blank stares. Conversely, ask that same person to name some famous football, baseball or (…..gasp) MMA fighters and I’d bet you’d get several names. I know nothing about MMA fighting, nor have any interest, but I certainly know the name Cyborg.
If we want to build swimming as a sport, we absolutely need to expand the fan base. To do that, we need name recognized athletes that have built a brand image. The Iron Lady brand is a great… Read more »
You can ask anybody almost anywhere on the Globe and the answer will be the same. So our loved sport is needed that.
Otherwise she is swimming in her own swimsuit, she’d allowed.
I’d really like to see a Jeah! taco truck at every single FINA sponsored meet with menu item names that spoof FINA oligarchs. That’s all I really want.
Iron Lady is Hungary for that money
No problem at all.
The problem is that you are making joke from a country and a nation. Not too sweet.
A great marketing plan. Hats off the her and her husband. I wish her the best in and out of the water. The athletes union is also a great need for all. Too bad she is not in the USA as she might be able to shake some sense into the NCAA!
She used to swim in NCAA
Need to raise money for the lawsuit.
With new World Cup rules FINA made a huge dent in this family budget. Can you imagine Sarah Sjostrom selling t-shorts immediately after medal ceremony? Probably doesn’t need to.
Swimmer carrer comes to an end someday, so we started to introduce slow and friendly sharks to Lake Babaton.
No needed, that’s pocket money.
ZOMG can one of you in Hungary buy 75M an Iron Maiden knapsack?
LMAO at the voodoo dolls.
DUAPO – Drug Use Always Pays Off. Where is the T-shirt?
come on now. No one says that about Ledecky or Phelps…quit hatin
She’s as likely to be doping as Sjostrom, Ledecky, or Peaty. They’re all inhumanly good. So hopefully you’re making this accusation equally.
Gotta give them the benefit of the doubt until we have some proof. Until then, you’re just a troll.
Rather Dude 0.0.
Margaret ‘Iron Lady’ Thatcher was the trailblazer 🙂