This is exclusively the case in American college football, an enormous $14 billion industry built around the best 18 to 22-year-old players in the country. Aspercreme — the #7 pain reliever in the category, targeting an audience of 55+ year-olds — would be the last brand you’d expect to jump into this college football frenzy. Enter, the perfect partner: 58-year-old college freshman Tom Cillo.
Yes, you read that right. Not only did Cillo go back to school at 58, but he also joined the football team, facing off against players three decades younger than him. And he did it at the toughest, most painful position possible: defensive line.
OLDER ADULTS ARE ROUTINELY SIDELINED IN CULTURE, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO SPORTS.
Within days of discovering him, Aspercreme signed Tom to a historic NIL sponsorship deal, making him the oldest ever player to receive one. The New York Times quickly called it “the most clever NIL deal of the season.”
BUT THAT WAS ONLY THE FIRST QUARTER. NEXT, WE MADE TOM THE FACE OF THE BRAND ALL SEASON LONG.
We turned “58 years. 0 Quit.” into a rallying cry that drove a fully integrated campaign. Billboards, full-page print ads, custom product, pre-game outfits, interviews, social content – giving Tom the same treatment any superstar athlete would get in a brand campaign, and proving to fans that it’s never too late to follow your dreams.
