How Non‑Obvious Brands Can Win Big in Sport: The CeraVe + NBA Playbook
The game is changing. Sports marketing is no longer the exclusive playground of sportsbooks, apparel giants and performance brands. On 6 October 2025, CeraVe announced a multiyear deal with the NBA as its Official Skincare and Hair‑care Partner. This is the kind of move that looks weird at first - but brilliant, once you unpack it.
If you’re a senior brand leader or rights‑holder, the lesson here is simple: sport can be the platform, but your category defines the advantage. This isn’t just about being seen - it’s about being relevant, activating smart, and owning new territory. Let’s breakdown how you can make it work.
1) Clarity
What problem are you solving?
Most sport deals start with “We want exposure” and end with “We got a logo”. That won’t cut it anymore. CeraVe’s approach: join the NBA, but attach skincare & hair care‑relevance to athletes, fans and cultural rituals.
Brand rule: Before you sign the deal ask: What one consumer behaviour do we want to shift? If the answer is simply “increase awareness”, you’re doing media, not sport partnership.
Tactic: Write your objective in one sentence: “Drive usage of product X with male/female basketball‑fans aged 18‑34 via NBA fandom.” If you struggle to articulate it, you’re building a billboard not an ecosystem.
2) Usefulness
How do you create meaning for fans and athletes?
CeraVe isn’t just putting its name on the jersey - it’s embedding into the athlete‑beauty routine, NPC events like Jr. NBA Clinics and the 2K game. Those activations translate to relevance.
Tactic: Map the touch‑points: pre‑game, in‑game, post‑game, digital, mobile. Where can your brand add value (not just presence)?
Brand rule: Don’t just show up, provide something - education, access, experience. Metrics will go beyond TV‑impressions.
3) Proof
How will you measure return?
Reporting on “600 million social impressions” is nice - but not enough. CeraVe’s playbook includes engagement with the fans, clinical relevance, usage uplift among target segment, and connection to NBA’s digital footprint.
Tactic: Build a measurement plan with three layers:
Awareness & brand association (pre‑/post‑survey)
Behavioural shift (product trials, downloads, usage)
Long‑term business impact (market share, category entry, new consumer segments)
Brand rule: Guts or gut‑feels don’t cut it - your CFO wants tangible read‑outs.
4) Simplicity
Is the story easy to grasp?
“NBA Official Skincare Partner” is clear, concise. The category match gives purpose. If your activation requires footnotes, you’ve lost.
Tactic: Test the story on the elevator ride: can your CEO summarise it in 15 seconds? If not, simplify.
Brand rule: Build one hero narrative, not five. Support with content, but let the core story do the heavy lifting.
5) Culture
Does the brand align with the sport’s culture and fanbase?
Basketball fans aren’t just fans - they’re culture makers. Meme‑share, style‑obsessed, digital natives. The skincare tie‑in works because appearance, grooming and athlete‑image matter in this space.
Tactic: Understand the native behaviour of the fan segment: social platforms, influencers, game‑night routines, post‑game rituals. Pick activations that fit.
Brand rule: Don’t force your brand into the sport -it must be authentic and additive.
Roadmap for Non‑Obvious Categories
Audit your category’s sport relevance - Could your brand legitimately live inside sports culture?
Select a platform (league/club/athlete) where the audience aligns and activation space exists.
Define your hero activation - One idea that maps to consumer behaviour, not just signage.
Design the ecosystem - In‑venue + digital + retail + social. Communicate one powerful story.
Track across three horizons - launch buzz (0‑3m), short‑term behaviour (3‑12m), long‑term impact (12m+).
Stay committed - One seasonal burst won’t do. Your category‑entry into sport is a multi‑year story.
Final Word
If sports marketing still looks like “put logo here, buy rights there”, you’re playing last year’s game. The next frontier is about category relevance, fan‑journey integration, and measurable impact.
CeraVe + NBA is the blueprint: a non‑traditional category entering sport with clarity and purpose.
If you’re a brand leader or rights‑holder, the real question isn’t whether to sponsor sport - it’s how you’ll own territory within sport.
And if that story isn’t pretty simple, it probably won’t be sticky.
Time to stop buying exposure. Start building relevance.
