From a Crocodile to the GOAT

For the US Open, Lacoste and its agency BETC Paris unveil “From a Crocodile to the GOAT.”, a new global campaign created to support and pay homage to the famous brand ambassador, Novak Djokovic.

On the eve of the US Open, Lacoste celebrates its ambassador Novak Djokovic by transforming the brand’s iconic Crocodile into a GOAT (Greatest Of All Time), giving rise to an exclusive capsule collection.

This symbolic metamorphosis, named From a Crocodile to the Goat, pays tribute to an extraordinary player who has pushed the boundaries of greatness and transcended what was thought possible in the world of tennis. Novak Djokovic, Lacoste ambassador for more than 8 years, embodies this excellence that fully deserves such a celebration.

The GOAT collection is composed of five iconic pieces - polo, t-shirt, tracksuit jacket, cap and trousers – each proudly bearing the exclusive logo. This limited-edition capsule is available across selected countries worldwide.

This operation is highlighted by four striking posters featuring Novak Djokovic on the four surfaces on which he created his legend: hard court, indoor court, clay and grass - and bear the line "From a Crocodile to the Goat."

In addition, Lacoste decided to honor the fans that believed in the talent of Novak Djokovic from the start. On X (formerly Twitter), the brand replied to old tweets from fans of Djokovic referring him to the Great of All Time, with some tweets being as old as 2010. These visionary fans will receive a piece of the exclusive collection.

"We were looking for a strong symbol to celebrate the great career of Novak. From a Crocodile to The Goat symbolises the work ethic, the resilience, the determination that is needed in order to reach the status of legend. This collection also belongs to the very first fans, those who believed in Novak and referred to him as the GOAT since the start of his tennis career. That's why we decided to invite some fans to star in the launch video and to have the brand reply to some of their tweets on X and gifting them a piece of the collection" explains Olivier Aumard, Executive Creative Director - BETC

An exceptional launch on Fifth Avenue

At the heart of Lacoste’s new New York flagship, on the legendary Fifth Avenue, Novak Djokovic personally unveiled the collection on August 22, in a special meet & greet format.

“Novak Djokovic has been part of the Lacoste family for over eight years. Together, we have shared an exceptional period, during which he won 12 Grand Slam titles - half of his career total. Beyond the extraordinary player, his tenacity, mindset and values have contributed to elevating and amplifying the brand. Transforming our Crocodile into a GOAT today to pay tribute to him, and unveiling the collection here, where René built his legend, was an obvious choice. This initiative reflects our ability to reinvent our codes while staying true to René Lacoste’s heritage.” said Thierry Guibert, CEO of Lacoste.

This celebration resonates particularly strongly on American soil, the stage of René Lacoste’s great achievements - where he was first given the nickname “Crocodile,” where he won the US Championship in 1926 and 1927, and where he conceived the idea of inventing the polo shirt. Today, from that same legendary foundation, Lacoste launches this collection from its Fifth Avenue flagship, embodying its ambitions in the world’s largest sportswear market and celebrating a century of tennis excellence, from René Lacoste to Novak Djokovic.

An outstanding record of achievements

Considered the greatest tennis player of all time, Novak Djokovic holds unparalleled records: 24 Grand Slam titles – the most ever won by a male player, the greatest number of weeks ranked world No. 1, as well as the highest number of Grand Slam match wins. He also holds the record for Masters 1000 victories and remains the only player to have won each of these prestigious tournaments at least twice.

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Credits:

Advertiser: Lacoste

Advertiser Contacts: Nicolas Rakocevic, Stephanie Derrey Hales, Sami Frobert, Caroline Géraud

Agency: BETC

Agency Contacts: Bertille Toledano, Marine Hakim, Maud Lambert, Théophile Geslain, Théo Leuillet

President & Chief Creative Officer: Stephane Xiberras

Executive Creative Director: Olivier Aumard

Copywriter: Guillaume Denis

Art Directors: Matthieu Hamon, Charles Dessaux, Florian Padilla

Junior Art Director: Martin Causse

Music Creative Director: Adam Ghoubali

Creative Resources Coordinator: Nathalie Sanseigne

Art Buyer: Isabelle Mocq

TV Producer: Jennifer Braux

Production Company: Prose On Pixels France

Producer: Isabelle Journo Severi

Director: Rémi Danino

Director of Photography: Asselin Gauthier

Sound Production: GUM

Film Post-production: Leila Geslain

Print Post-production: Nathalie Le Gal