- Footwear brand OluKai is partnering with New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce podcast, to support the launch of a new sandal – the Mea Ola Nu’u.
- The brand created the sandal after Jason said the original sandal was his favorite.
- The product is inspired by vintage pigskins and classic helmets in its stitching custom touches – including Jason and Travis Kelce’s gold foil signatures and a “New Heights Equipment Co.” stamp.
Brand Innovators caught up with Kerry Konrady, chief marketing officer of OluKai about the partnership.
How did the partnership come about?
Jason is a true sandal guy, he’s worn our Mea Ola leather sandal for years, even through nine inches of Philadelphia snow. That grew into a real relationship: we’ve supported his BePhilly Foundation and gifted his favorite pair to his Eagles teammates. So when Kelce Clubhouse launched on Amazon, we were one of the first brands invited in. We partnered with the Wondery team and launched OluKai x New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce in June 2026.
What was the strategy behind the new drop?
Jason is a leather sandal guy, so the category was clear. The challenge was capturing the Kelce spirit in an OluKai way. The concept and execution became “Pigskin Proven” – a modern heritage take on the leather sandal, inspired by vintage football equipment and finished with both brothers’ signatures in gold and custom packaging.
Who are you hoping this connects with?
First and foremost, dads. We launched this right before Father’s Day, strategically timed as OluKai is a gift you keep for a decade, not a season. Beyond that, the New Heights and Kelce fanbases are among the most engaged in culture, and they deserved something made specifically for them. Our internal bar was simple: Jason and Travis had to genuinely want to wear it themselves.
How did you push it beyond the podcast?
Jason and Travis nailed the launch on the podcast, and we built outward from there. Amazon, OluKai.com, and all 14 OluKai stores featured launch content in their highest-impact placements. The media buy blended digital and OOH across Philadelphia, Kansas City, and Los Angeles. For influencer amplification, we leaned into a Hawai’i meets sports through-line via Phillies World Series champion and Maui native Shane Victorino, rising Hawai‘i quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, and OluKai ambassador and NFL quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
How did it go? What did you learn?
Rewarding and bigger than the collaboration itself. There aren’t many bigger names in culture, so we were handed a stage whose reach elevated the entire brand, not just the launch. The collaboration sold out in days. We also saw just how supportive the Kelce community is. That momentum continued this summer when we partnered with Jason and Kylie’s Shore Birds fundraiser for the Eagles Autism Foundation, helping raise more than $1.2 million.
