Making a Distinction with Miami’s new wave of sports activities and tradition creators

“We saw an opportunity here,” he says. “There weren’t many agencies focusing on the intersection of athlete marketing and influencer-led content in Miami at the time. We felt we could bring something different.”

Onaindia arrange store simply as the town started its post-pandemic reinvention. “I moved here in 2015. Back then, Miami was known for hospitality and nightlife. But since Covid, it has changed. There’s more business infrastructure. Athletes now spend their off-seasons here. Content creators are relocating. And more brands are taking notice.”

Distinction has carved out a distinct segment, serving to athletes and creators construct their emblem presence past the sphere or platform. “We’re not contract agents,” Onaindia clarifies. “Our role is to build a brand around the individual, whether that’s content creation, partnerships or event strategy.”

The company has grown ceaselessly, now representing round 80 athletes and creators, whilst supporting emblem campaigns throughout sectors – from giant names akin to Meta, Netflix and Google Pixel to startups taking a look to damage into tradition. “A lot of what we do revolves around tentpole cultural moments – the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, F1 Miami, even the Olympics,” says Onaindia. “Sport offers these built-in moments of mass attention. We help brands show up in that space with the right people and the right message.”

That focal point on storytelling and persona over natural athletic success, he says, displays a much broader shift available in the market. “There’s been a real democratization in athlete marketing,” he notes. “It’s no longer just about how many goals you’ve scored, it’s about what you represent – your values, your interests, your voice… Athletes and creators today are all content producers in their own right.”

A up to date Olympic marketing campaign illustrates the purpose. Distinction helped a feminine volleyball participant land partnerships with good looks and model manufacturers akin to Armani Beauty, Essence and Chic Lam – corporations no longer historically energetic in sports activities advertising. “It was about aligning her personal interests with brand opportunities,” says Onaindia. “And it worked.”

The company’s style is lean: simply 12 full-time personnel, unfold throughout Florida, New York, Las Vegas and past. “We’re based in Miami but operate as a distributed team. I’m a believer in hiring the best people regardless of location.”

The set-up lets in Distinction to behave temporarily, incessantly in a quasi-media proprietor function. “Some brands view us as a kind of media buy. We wouldn’t necessarily describe ourselves that way, but for a specific moment – an event, a campaign – it’s not far off. We source talent, shape the content strategy and deliver.”

As Miami prepares for the 2026 Fifa World Cup – and with Messi’s arrival injecting recent power into Inter Miami – Onaindia is positive in regards to the town’s subsequent bankruptcy. “There’s more infrastructure now. F1 has transformed the Hard Rock Stadium into a multi-purpose venue. UFC is hosting events here. And Inter Miami’s new stadium should give things another lift.”

Asked whether or not extra companies will observe his lead and transfer operations to the town, he’s wary. “There’s definitely a need to have a presence here. But the reality is, with distributed teams and remote work, it’s not always about being headquartered in one place. What matters is the work.” Makes sense as Onaindia lives in Orlando.

But if location truly is not obligatory, there are worse puts to construct a sports activities advertising trade than Miami, a town with year-round solar, world-class occasions and Messi at the billboards.