GOAT Group

NBPA launches Plyrs Untd player-owned consumer brand

The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) has launched Plyrs Untd, a consumer-facing commercial brand that pools the collective name, image and likeness (NIL) rights of more than 500 NBA players to create products, partnerships and business opportunities. Replacing the NBPA’s B2B licensing arm Think450, Plyrs Untd positions players as a direct-to-consumer lifestyle brand and debuted a campaign film, 'Own the Game,' produced with Project 3 and narrated by Kyrie Irving. Visual identity work was by Montreal studio The Troys; Jordan Poole provided design feedback. The NBPA says the membership’s collective reach is 880 million fans. The initiative includes experiential programming (Plyrs House), a planned LA performance and training facility, and future activations tied to NBA events such as the Summer League.

FMCG Brands Build Advocacy with Creator Marketing

HelloPartner publishes an exclusive extract from Goat Intelligence's report "Pick Me. Choose Me. Love Me.", examining how FMCG brands use creator and community-led strategies to build long-term brand advocacy. The piece highlights Persil as a case study: Goat/Goat Agency ran an experiential launch for Persil Wonder Wash — a 15-minute laundry detergent range — staging a one-night "Fast Wash and Rave" laundrette in London with a DJ set by Persil ambassador Craig David. The activation and ongoing creator partnerships targeted communities like parents and CleanTok, generating measurable engagement and earned media. The article also recounts Persil’s 2025 Arsenal F.C. campaign "Every Stain Should Be Part of the Game," which combined a content series with educational programming and creator/athlete partners to address barriers to girls’ sports participation.

Influencer Boosts Drive Social Video Ad Spend Growth

Brands are increasingly allocating paid-media budgets to amplify influencer video content on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube, turning amplification (aka “boosting” or “influence-led paid media”) from an afterthought into a core part of campaign planning. Industry sources and agency executives tell Digiday that amplification budgets have risen steadily and can range from low thousands to as much as $5 million per campaign. The IAB forecasts U.S. social video spend to grow ~13% this year, and eMarketer projects paid amplification and creator production fees will each total about $14.2B in the U.S. in 2027, with amplification rising to $16.1B by 2028. Agencies report a shift of creator budgets toward paid media and greater emphasis on performance-driven briefs.