MARKETING PARTNERSHIPS

KFC and NBA team up for pan-African promotions and activations

By our News Team | 2022

Joint strategy will include co-branded product campaigns, limited-edition merchandise giveaways and limited-edition promotions.

Fast-food brand KFC and America’s iconic National Basketball Association (NBA) have announced a marketing partnership that will see the two collaborate on promotions and activations for basketball fans across eight African countries: Botswana, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal and Tanzania.

Through the partnership, KFC Africa and NBA Africa will launch co-branded product campaigns, limited-edition merchandise giveaways, and limited-edition promotions, including the opportunity for fans to win tickets to live NBA games in the US and free access to NBA League Pass, the league’s premium live game subscription service.

NBA Africa is a standalone entity that was formed in May last year to conduct the NBA’s business in Africa, including the Basketball Africa League (BAL). It has offices in Johannesburg, Dakar and Lagos.

Photo by Tim Wang via Wikimedia Commons

Partnership with an epic sports brand

“We are proud to announce this exciting partnership between our iconic KFC brand and one of the most epic sports brands in the world,” said KFC Marketing Director, Rest of Sub-Saharan Africa, Emmanuel Kasambala.

“As a brand that has been on the continent for 50 years, we are passionate about connecting with the youth at the touchpoints that really mean something to them. So, beyond the extremely cool products and merchandise we will offer, we have longer-term plans to inspire the youth to achieve more in life through basketball.

“We are exploring various grassroots basketball initiatives, like the refurbishment of courts, and basketball clinics in communities. It is about inspiring and enabling the youth to reach for, and achieve, their dreams.”

Said NBA Africa CEO, Victor Williams: “We want to meet our fans where they are and make the game of basketball more accessible. And through this partnership with one of the world’s most iconic food brands, we look forward to reaching new and existing fans and providing them with more opportunities to experience the NBA.”

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