Today’s Agenda: Brand Creative That Wins
Today’s Agenda: Brand Creative That Wins
+ NIL advice from one the world’s most influential brand leaders, Rob Master, (McKinsey & Company, Fmr. Unilever) and the tennis national champion stacking all of the wins, Abbey Forbes (UNC/UCLA)
Publisher’s Message:
Presented by Payment Labs - NIL Payouts Done Right
The Athlete’s Bureau’s mission continues: deliver actionable advice and impactful advocacy for college athletes and those that care about us.
In this issue:
The Check Writers series continues with Rob Master (Senior Advisor, McKinsey & Company, Marketing & Media Practice) and the pioneer of NIL multi-athlete campaigns with the Degree Breaking Limits Team at Unilever. Rob gave me my first major NIL brand deal with Degree!
Our Meet The Advocates series continues in a video interview with Abbey Forbes (UNC Women’s Tennis National Champion, UCLA Alum). We will learn how Abbey is stacking all of the wins available in college athletics.
Finally, we launch of our new series - NIL Brand Creative that Wins. Simple, clean, and smart creative examples from college athletes that are winning the NIL game.
Thank you for reading and please share this issue with your favorite college athletes and brand leaders.
Best,
Chase Griffin
#PayTAB #NILforGood #BE11EVE
Featured Video Interview
The Check Writers: Rob Master, Senior Advisor, McKinsey & Company (Marketing and Media Practice).
NIL advice from the brand leader who pioneered multi-athlete , multi-school NIL Brand Deals
In this TAB exclusive video conversation we get to learn from Rob Master, Senior Advisor, Marketing & Media Practice at McKinsey & Company and Fmr. VP of Integrated Marketing & Media at Unilever. Under Rob’s leadership Unilever was recognized as Digital Marketer of the Year by Advertising Age, Media Client of the Year by Media Post and one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Marketers. Over the course of his career, Rob has managed the growth of iconic brands like Degree, Dove, Axe, Taco Bell, and many others. In fact, with the Degree Breaking Limits Team, Rob pioneered the multi-athlete, multi-school NIL Brand model that has been followed by a host of other brands.
For more about Rob Master and his journey to becoming a leader in the marketing and advertising industry, please read his profile.
Featured Video Interview
Meet The Advocates: Abbey Forbes (National Champion - UNC Women’s Tennis; UCLA Alum)
By: Griffin Uribe Brown (Syracuse Newhouse)
In this TAB exclusive video conversation Abbey Forbes (UNC Women’s Tennis national champion) shares her journey through NIL, college, grad school, the transfer portal, and advocacy. Abbey is truly stacking all of the wins in college athletics and we are honored to share her story. Learn more about Abbey Forbes in this profile article.
Featured Creative
NIL Creative That Wins
By: Lauren Huttner (Northwestern Medill’24)
Each issue, TAB will be spotlighting some of our favorite NIL creative campaigns from athletes having success in NIL, and what other athlete content-creators can learn from them.
The authenticity of Emily Cole’s campaign makes it truly compelling. Seeing and hearing the excitement of her teammates around OOFOS demonstrates the impact the brand has on Duke Track and Field. The combination of overheard comments and interviews helps the energy jump out of the video, making it successful.
The Takeaway: Find unique ways to convey emotion both through audio and video. From seeing smiles (or tears) to hearing comments, successful campaigns have an infectious energy that makes a viewer feel the same way.
Chegg x Beau Bartlett (Penn State Wrestling)
The secret to motivational-style campaigns is the script. Beyond the dynamic visuals, Beau Bartlett’s content for Chegg stands out with its authentic narration. The sponsored video builds a compelling storyline that matches with his aesthetic and niche.
The Takeaway: Spending time scripting is worth it! Having words to read makes you sound more confident (and influential). At a bare minimum, you should have bullet points when going into recording a voice-over, but the more complete the sentences are, the better the video will sound.
My Lai Kitchen x Christine Wang (USC Women’s Golf)
From a motivational narration to the golden hour lighting, Christine Wang’s collaboration with California-based My Lai Kitchen successfully compels a message: she’s fueled by My Lai (and you should be too). The framing of the shots in the video are particularly effective: from running to hitting golf balls, the video demonstrates how My Lai helps Christine stay powered as an athlete.
The Takeaway: Effective campaigns show more than tell. Get creative with your filming to demonstrate that you're an athlete visually, rather than just through a narration or caption.
Lauren Huttner (Northwestern Medill ‘24) is a journalist and strategist for creators and brands. Lauren has written for Inc. Magazine, worked with Dorm Room Fund and was VP of Community at AMA, a youtube data-analytics firm acquired by Jellysmack.
TAB In the News
The Business of College Sports, Kristi Dosh, “Chase Griffin on launching The Athlete’s Bureau and its mission.”
The EdUp Experience Podcast, Dr. Joe Sallustio, EdD “…discussing The Athlete’s Bureau and its mission…and other NIL essentials.”
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