Cheez-It came to us with a very real challenge: they wanted hoop credibility without an NBA sponsorship. And in basketball culture, access isn’t transactional; it’s earned. Brands don’t just show up. They need permission from The Culture.

So instead of forcing relevance, we led with respect.

We acknowledged that Cheez-It was new to the game and leaned into that truth by partnering with Jimmy Butler, not as a spokesperson, but as a cultural translator and teacher. Together, we created a series of bite-sized “clinics” where Jimmy schooled Cheez-It’s mascot, Cheez, on the unspoken rules of basketball culture; both on and off the court.

From pregame rituals and tunnel fits to barbershop debates and energy checks, each lesson played like insider knowledge. Modular by design, the content traveled fast, becoming meme fuel, social currency, and conversation starters that fans actually wanted to share.

What started as education turned into validation.
What started as an outsider became an insider.

Cheez-It went from a background snack to the center of the group chat, earning credibility, cultural stripes, and hoop clout without ever needing an official sponsorship.