Michelob Ultra Goes All In for NBA Champion Knicks

A branded takeover of NYC's afoot as the team prepares its title defense

If a single soul in NYC’s five boroughs didn’t know the Knicks start defending their NBA Championship tomorrow, they will now, courtesy of Michelob Ultra.

In this instance, “full court press” hyperbole might truly apply, as the brewer unveils a deep roster of promos ahead of Tuesday’s season opener at Madison Square Garden between the Knicks and Philadelphia 76ers.

This is big. New York Big! (Sorry, Sixers. You’ve got the buzz, but no trophy. That’s why they play the games!)

We’ll start with custom bottle openers. They’re made from pieces of the NBA finals court and presented by team legends Earl Monroe and John Wallace to local bartenders in the clip below. Fans can win them by tagging Ultra posts on IG.

Below, we check out celebratory merch and packaging. (Looks like a twist-top, actually. But use that opener anyway and show some team spirit.)

Next, there’s an appropriately breathless film, “Raise One Up,” from Wieden+Kennedy. It’s set to air on NBC during the Knicks opener and on Ultra’s social channels:

Finally, as if the Knicks—and by extension, Ultra—hadn’t taken over NYC thoroughly enough, branded media will adorn MSG and Penn Station:

“As a brand rooted in bringing fans together through sports, we wanted to celebrate the people and places that helped make this championship run so memorable,” says SVP of marketing Ricardo Marques.

“From the bartenders who welcomed fans on every game day to the supporters who stood behind the team all season long, this campaign is about honoring the spirit of New York and a championship moment that will be remembered for generations.”

Related: Knicks’ NBA Title Puts Brands in a New York State of Mind