The start of the NFL season means a whole new lineup of football-centric campaigns. The league has undergone something of a resurgence, with last year’s regular season games averaging 17.9 million viewers and marking 2023 as one the most-watched seasons on record. While football-based campaigns have always been a go-to for marketers, this increased attention makes tying up with the NFL more important than ever.

Most campaigns fall into similar patterns from previous years, relying on current stars and retired legends to help brands connect with fans. As with much brand-building, there is a focus on pop culture drawn from the worlds of music and television. Still, brands are embracing how the sport is changing: Gatorade put a spotlight on flag football and the growing role of women in the sport. 

Marketing Dive has compiled a handful of stories that showcase how brands, spanning CPG, restaurant and insurance industries, have chosen to market around the start of the 2024 NFL season.