By Amanda Drum, Director of Communications at Press Kitchen
Are you still glued to your screens, or was your bracket busted Day 1? I’m admittedly not the most stringent March Madness viewer, but I love following the excitement and the upsets along with the rest of the country–alongside the ads and brand collabs with basketball’s biggest stars — male and female!
From greats like Shaquille O’Neal and Sabrina Ionescu, to upstart collegiate players from USC, University of North Carolina, University of Texas, BYU, University of South Carolina, University of Kansas, and many more, brands scouted the brightest talent for their campaigns in a more highly-watched event than in years past. According to Sportico, ad spend virtually sold out ahead of the tournament in an unprecedented competitive media landscape for sports.
As for the ads, here are my personal favorites for no other reason than they’re funny, they’re cool, or I have some affiliation with the state involved:
State Farm: How I Got Here (feat JuJu Watkins)
Besides living closest to USC of all the schools, you would be hard-pressed to find someone who’s followed basketball over the last year and hasn’t heard of JuJu Watkins. Her inspiring story for State Farm signifies great things ahead, even with a game and season-ending injury during the NCAA tournament.
Adidas: Adidas Got This
Adidas pulled up with basketball legends Candace Parker, Kahleah Copper, Chelsea Gray, Aaliyah Edwards, Aliyah Boston, Satou Sabally and Nneka Ogwumike for a sweet ad showcasing the group’s genuine camaraderie and support for one another. While the champions present may all be competitors on the court, in the spot they coach and cheer for each other in one of the more endearing ads of the season.
Great Clips: Comedian Mikey Day Gears Up for March Madness® with Kansas Basketball Star Hunter Dickinson
I like SNL, and I like Mikey Day. The partnership lent witty humor to an innovative integrated campaign out of the brand, with no small part by Kansas star Hunter Dickinson as Mikey’s foil. Nice haircut btw.
Raid: Jeremy Roach & Darianna Buggs Team Up with Raid to Keep Bugs Out of Bounds
Some athletes get picked for their acclaim, reputation, or rising star power. Others get picked because their name sounds like bugs. Raid tapped college stars Jeremy Roach and Darianna Buggs for their keep-away campaign in a clever March Madness marketing move for SC Johnson.
So, regardless of how your Mens NCAA or Women’s NCAA March Madness bracket is going — enjoy these well made ads.
