Celebrity brand endorsements have become a stamp of artists’ weight in the game, and Davido has been certified many times over. His recent album rollout for ‘5ive’ included partnerships with brands like FoodCourt, Stake, PlayStation, and of course, Martell with whom he has had a long-standing relationship for the past few years. 

When Davido’s face first lit up Martell billboards across Lagos in 2021, it marked the beginning of a broader cultural shift. In the years since, Martell has soared to the top as Nigeria’s number one cognac brand, and the world has been watching.

Ask Davido why this partnership works, and his answer is simple: authenticity. “Honestly, it’s just a real alignment,” he says. “Martell stands for boldness, legacy, moving with purpose, and that’s exactly how I operate. From day one, it didn’t feel like a typical brand partnership; it felt like a collaboration. We both represent excellence, and we’re not afraid to shake things up. That’s why it works.”

That authenticity has proven to be Martell’s secret weapon. Rather than treating Davido as a decorative face, the brand invited him into the room to shape the narrative. “I didn’t want to just be the face, I wanted to shape the story,” he explains. “I saw the opportunity to bring in a new energy, a new vibe that speaks to the culture. Something that’s fresh but still classy. We’ve been able to infuse that African excellence, that Naija spirit, into everything we do. That’s what makes it different.”

Martell’s campaigns under Davido’s influence have been electric, thrumming with the same energy that animates the streets of Lagos and beyond. The now-iconic “Be the Standout Swift” campaign particularly stands out. It featured sleek visuals, a thumping soundtrack, and Davido himself front and center, embodying exactly what it means to move with purpose. “The response was mad,” Davido recalls to The NATIVE. “The visuals went crazy, the soundtrack hit, and people connected with it instantly. I remember seeing Martell billboards with my face on it and realising it meant representation for African artists. That made the whole thing bigger than just branding.”

It’s precisely the point of their collaboration. The Martell-Davido partnership has been more about rewriting the rules than it has been about selling bottles of cognac. In the past, African artists were often brought in to add flavour to campaigns conceived elsewhere or were typically not the main characters. Now, thanks to moves like the Martell-Davido partnership, they’re leading them. “It set a new tone,” Davido notes. “I think it made a lot of brands wake up and realise that African culture is global culture now, you can’t ignore it. You have to invest in it properly.”

This shift in thinking has had real-world impact. Martell, which once competed with long-entrenched cognac brands in Nigeria, is now the market leader. Beyond the sales, this connection marks a strategic victory for culturally-grounded branding. Its connection to youth culture, Afrobeats, and the aspirational lifestyle Davido embodies has turned it into a status symbol at the center of Nigeria’s thriving nightlife and social scene. 

For Davido, these wins go beyond commercial success. He’s acutely aware of the weight of his platform and chooses partnerships accordingly. “I’m very, very conscious,” he admits, “I know the power of my platform. I’m not just repping myself, I’m repping Africa. So, any brand I align with has to respect that. It’s not just about money or clout. It’s about legacy. It’s about how we tell our story, how we elevate the culture. I always ask myself: ‘Does this partnership open doors for others? Does it make the culture look good?’ If the answer is yes, then we move.”

That consciousness is perhaps the biggest driver of Martell’s success story. By aligning with a figure whose influence runs deeper than celebrity, Martell has built a bond with Nigerian consumers that feels personal; their fave is drinking Martell, and so they will. Davido’s swagger, his work ethic, and his sense of cultural pride are now the same as Martell’s. 

The biggest takeaway from this partnership is that true cultural resonance comes from collaboration, not co-option. Davido getting the space to lead and align his core self with the brand has not only boosted sales but also given Martell the credibility needed for that. This sort of influence flattens the curve and builds the culture. 

With Davido at its side, Martell has become more than a cognac.