Right On The Pinnacle
They come from two dissimilar businesses, one the greatest Basketball competition in the world, the NBA (National Basketball Association), and the other the largest fast food chain in the World, McDonald’s. These two mega brands representing diverse fields have partnered for more than four decades. They have shared a journey which has taken them, in no uncertain terms, to the pinnacle of the industry they represent.
The Ball & The Burger
You may call it co-marketing or co-branding, but the fact is that both the NBA and McDonald’s have grown, feeding on each other’s acceptance. They have collectively found and then developed a market comprising lovers of the ‘Ball & the Burger‘. What is interesting here is that NBA and McDonald’s have not given rise to another product or service or another brand, but have grown themselves in a symbiotic relationship.
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The Intrigue
This is different from other co-branding or co-marketing relationships for the reason that there is nothing common in both brands, which makes it so intriguing and so unorthodox from a strategy point of view. However, when the numbers are thrown up, the realization of this unique strategy begins to seep in.
NBA’s Massive Pull
The 2023 NBA Finals, played out between Denver Nuggets and Miami Heat in a five-game series was viewed by 11.64 million viewers in America alone. The numbers were far more than any other program being watched on television. The exposure received by McDonald’s being the main sponsor for the NBA was massive too, way beyond the exposure any other marketing campaign would have gotten for McDonald’s. In addition to the viewership in America, the finals were viewed across the World on all continents, giving further visibility to McDonald’s, leading to an unwavering registration of the burger brand in the minds of a gigantic audience.
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McDonald’s Giant Steps
McDonald’s on the other hand has played its part too in furthering the interest of NBA and basketball through its colossal footprint in the world. With more than 40,000 outlets in over 100 countries, McDonald’s has focussed on the youth and organized basketball tournaments, interactive activities, live shows, distribution of NBA branded basketballs, etc. These activities, without a doubt, have helped spread basketball and the fan base of NBA across the world in the last 4 decades. McDonald’s and the NBA have also co-sponsored campaigns featuring iconic players like Michael Jordan and Larry Bird, which have received huge responses from the audience targeted by them.
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Overwhelming Strategy
The vital point here is that both brands have grown in popularity by virtue of the products they have offered and the entertainment they have showcased and simultaneously have also fed on each other’s popularity, which makes it a win-win game for both brands. Targeting a niche audience ( the basketball-loving and burger-relishing youth ) and growing its base also has been an overwhelming strategy.
McDonald’s and NBA’s partnership continues to grow and so does their vogue. They are co-brands no more…they are Bro-Brands.
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