In sports, everybody loves a good underdog story. When Aspercreme – a tiny pain relief brand built on fighting ageist stereotypes – discovered 58-year-old Tom Cillo was going back to school to play college football, we saw more than a great story. We saw a living, breathing embodiment of our brand strategy. So we immediately signed him to a history-making NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deal – making him the oldest-ever college player to receive one. This created a massive first wave of engagement in sports culture, from ESPN reporters to football bloggers to thousands of fans in the comments section. Even The New York Times immediately called it the most clever NIL deal of the season. But that was just the first quarter. Then we gave Tom the superstar athlete treatment through a season-long campaign built on a simple, powerful message: 58 years. 0 quit. A massive billboard outside the stadium. A full-page ad in the newspaper Tom delivered as a boy. Custom outfits he wore in his pre-game tunnel walk. Limited-edition products that made pain relief a collectible. Not only did the partnership show how Aspercreme could relieve Tom’s pain on the field, we amplified his story, helped fund his journey, and proved to fans in our 55+ audience all over the world that it is never too late to follow your dreams. And despite Tom and Aspercreme being underdogs in the college football world, they ended the season on top – beating out sports heavyweights like Nike, Gatorade, and Adidas to become the season’s most talked-about endorsement. The campaign spurred a 279% increase in social conversation around Aspercreme, sales increased 11.41% the week following the announcement, and we achieved ~$12M in earned media value – more than Aspercreme’s entire annual budget.