The NFL’s annual draft—at one time a perfunctory and private afternoon business meeting between executives at a hotel—has grown to become one of the game’s glitziest events outside of the Super Bowl, with 15 hours of live television coverage on ABC and ESPN spread over three days, a specially constructed main stage and an interactive football festival—this year taking place at Caesars Forum in Las Vegas.

The draft brings hope to fans—particularly those of teams whose recent struggles awarded them the opportunity for the best picks—and to marketers, who are riding the attention the event draws and the arrival of a new class of potentially powerful endorsers. 

For the first time, this year incoming football professionals may not necessarily be rookie marketers. That’s because of a ruling by the NCAA last summer that relaxed restrictions on college athletes to profit off their names, images and likenesses.

Below, a few examples of how brands are seizing on the event, which kicked off last night when the Jacksonville Jaguars called the name of Travon Walker, a defensive end for the University of Georgia, with the draft's first pick.

Snickers' pocket protection

Snickers, the official chocolate bar of the NFL, found its way onstage—neatly folded into the breast pocket of the dress coat worn by University of Oregon defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux.

The "Snickerchief" is a pocket square designed to subtly conceal a Snickers bar. It supports an ongoing campaign from the Mars Inc. brand and agency BBDO that suggests hungry people are apt to make silly and embarrassing mistakes at the wrong moment, such as those that could befall a young man climbing on stage in front of a national TV audience for the first time. “The Snickerchief will help the prospects avoid any potential rookie mistakes such as tripping on stage, having their phone on silent when someone from their new team calls, or anything else that could turn them into an internet sensation before they become an NFL sensation,” the brand said in a release.

Thibodeaux, who was selected by the New York Giants with the fifth overall pick, was also expected to post an “unboxing” of his Snickerchief on social media while the brand was leaving additional ones backstage for any prospect and their size 52 Extra Long dress jackets.

Fans also had the opportunity to tuck one in their pocket by following social posts from @Snickers and the #Snickerchief hashtag during the draft’s first round.

DoorDash's freshly picked ad

DoorDash, the food delivery company that puts thousands of young people to work as flex-time couriers, has followed one of their own to the draft.

Quarterback Desmond Ridder of the University of Cincinnati is one of “dozens” of potential draftees to have worked for DoorDash, which shot a commercial interspersing footage of Ridder’s football workouts and his work as a gig delivery driver.

The campaign, from Gut Los Angeles and titled “Dash to It,” shows how the flexible schedule of “dashing” allowed Ridder to pursue his football dream and the work that took, while also making deliveries. The commercial was directed by Wes Walker, also a one-time dasher and college athlete, bringing an authentic perspective on the struggle.

The campaign concept was driven by the sound of the well-known chime that plays each time an athlete is drafted. The jingle, which recalls the sound of a doorbell, allowed the brand to connect footage of Ridder ringing doorbells as he arrives with deliveries with the realization of his professional dreams. A graphic near the end of the spot identifies Ridder as a Dasher/Football Player before the word “Dasher/” is wiped and “Pro” appears in its place—to the sound of a cheering crowd and Ridder dressed in a suit and rising. “If you can dream it, Dash to it,” is the tagline.

Though considered a potential first-round choice, Ridder was still on the board when the first-day festivities ended Thursday night.

Prime reveals Thursday night combatants

Amazon Prime, which has heavily promoted a recent deal making it the first streaming network to air a season-long NFL package used the draft to reveal its own first-round choice—or the identities of the teams set to square off on the debut of its Thursday Night Football broadcast on Sept. 15. On that date, the Kansas City Chiefs will host the Los Angeles Chargers at Arrowhead Stadium. A large video countdown clock at the festival site began counting the days, hours, minutes and seconds till that kickoff.

Prime’s 11-year deal with the NFL includes 15 regular-season games and one preseason game per year, with the streamer also delivering new pregame, halftime, and postgame shows along with interactive features like X-Ray and Next Gen Stats powered by AWS.

“NFL Draft weekend is a moment in time that all football fans look forward to every year,” Ukonwa Ojo, chief marketing officer, Prime Video & Studios, said in a statement. “It signals the start of the new season, which made it an ideal location for the next step in our campaign."

In addition, throughout the weekend various NFL legends will be on-site for autographs and photo-ops and opportunities for fans to win free exclusive items and Thursday Night Football-branded gear.

Ratings expectations 

With NFL ratings up last season, a strong Super Bowl, and a period of unusually active free agent signings and trades leading up to and during the draft, viewership of the draft event is expected to rise this year, according to The Marketing Arm, an agency with heritage as a sports marketer. Las Vegas officials are expecting record attendance for the Draft, with the in-person gathering providing prime experiential marketing opportunities for sponsors. 

Interest from TV advertisers is also high, according to Disney, parent of ABC and ESPN. Nearly 100 brands will participate in its coverage of the event this year, including 13 official sponsors, and 30 new advertisers, representing 45 categories overall.

“We’re always impressed by the sponsorship turnout for the NFL Draft and this year is no different,” Jim Minnich, senior VP, revenue and yield management for Disney Advertising, said in a statement.

Sponsors include Courtyard by Marriott; Chevrolet; EGO, a first time NFL Live presenting sponsor; Home Depot; and ZipRecruiter.

Primetime viewers for the event’s first two days will have five options—with five teams of commentators and analysts—with nearly all the presentations available on the ESPN app. For the draft’s final day, ESPN’s TV presentation will be simulcast on ABC, while ESPN’s social show—available on the ESPN App, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube—and ESPN Radio’s offering will feature a hybrid broadcast, available on both radio and the social platforms.