This archive report was first published on 23 June 2020.
Manchester United and England forward Marcus Rashford's high-profile campaign to provide free school meals to disadvantaged children in the UK has received a significant boost from his partnership with Jay-Z's Roc Nation.
According to reports, Rashford signed with Roc Nation in April, and the agency's support played a crucial role in his campaign's success.
As a result of Rashford's efforts, the UK government announced a £120 million 'Covid food fund' to provide over 1.3 million vulnerable children with meals.
President of Roc Nation Sports International, Michael Yormark, praised Rashford for being a 'shining example' of embodying Roc Nation's focus on 'protecting and defending those that can't protect and defend themselves.'
Yormark added that companies today want to align with people who are passionate about community and taking a stand against injustice, and that Roc Nation encourages its clients to be aggressive in this space.
Among the football stars on Roc Nation's books are Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne and Aston Villa's Tyrone Mings.
Rashford's brothers still handle his football-related business, but Roc Nation is in charge of his PR and marketing.
"We look for those figures who stand for something beyond just the sport that they play," said Kelly Hogarth, the director of brand strategy and business communications, who represents Rashford.
"What he did transcended race, transcended any social unrest that we're experiencing. This was a 22-year-old young man who was saying: 'No child should be going hungry in this country. That is unacceptable'."
