Since starting at Tribu, I catch myself noticing interesting marketing collaborations I see in my day to day. Earlier this month a branded hashtag sent me down the rabbit hole.
I was scrolling through Facebook when I saw a post from the NBA with Tissot running as a paid partnership with the hashtag #tissotbuzzerbeater. The video shows Dwayne Wade’s game-winning shot against the Golden State Warriors. It caught my attention because their digital marketing team took an unstaged live occurrence in the NBA and made it a marketable asset. No big production – just an exciting visual that tells a story about time.
The Play
In 2015, the NBA announced its partnership with Swiss Brand Tissot as the official timekeeper of the NBA, WNBA, and NBA D-League (now the G-League). The deal included the development of a state-of-the-art in-game timing system and new branded shot clocks for use at all NBA arenas.
Tissot also gained global league licensing rights for the use of NBA team logos and likeness, from which they developed a line of NBA watches. The partnership also made Tissot the official timekeeper and watch of other league events, like the All-Star game, the Draft, Summer League, and all NBA global games. This fully integrated partnership set the stage for more awesome collaborations.
The Follow Through
Beyond licensing and technology, the NBA’s Tissot partnership has led to initiatives that engage players and fans all season long. Tissot brand ambassadors include Klay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors, top rookie Trae Young, and San Antonio favorite Tony Parker. These partnerships include appearances in multimedia campaigns, in fan-oriented content, and at special events. Klay Thompson noted, “Tissot is a brand that embodies both performance and reliability, which are two critical parts of my game on and off the court” and expressed he is also excited to share his personal style with fans.
Tissot has credited their increased awareness among NBA fans to this partnership. They continue to grow the partnership through digital channels and the Tissot Buzzer Beater campaign. The campaign is centered around players who make game-winning shots with 0.0 second left of the clock.
Tissot looks for ways to naturally integrate into the NBA, whether it’s providing a vital piece of equipment on the courts, fashionable timepieces for players, or exciting content for fans.
Source: NBA Communications, Business Wire, Front Office Sports
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