Mondelēz Returns to March Madness® With a New TV Spot Featuring Superstars Juju Watkins and Jackson Shelstad
Mondelēz is teaming up with nine current and former NCAA® athletes to drive excitement and buzz throughout the tournament
EAST HANOVER, N.J., March 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mondelēz, an Official Corporate Partner of the NCAA® for over a decade, is partnering with a new roster of NCAA athletes and offering fans a chance to win a VIP trip to the 2026 NCAA Men's or Women's Final Four®.
As part of the partnership, college basketball superstars Juju Watkins (University of Southern California point guard) and Jackson Shelstad (University of Oregon guard) will appear in the 30-second spot from Mondelēz, which will begin airing on Thursday, March 13. Mondelēz is also teaming up with a group of current and former NCAA athletes as brand ambassadors during March Madness, who will drive fan excitement and buzz throughout the tournament via snacking content on their social channels. The complete roster of athletes includes:
Athletes Drafted by the RITZ Brand:
Caleb Love, University of Arizona
Juju Watkins, University of Southern California
Athletes Drafted by the OREO Brand:
Brandon Dwyer, Florida Gulf Coast University
Flau'jae Johnson, Louisiana State University
Athletes Drafted by the CHIPS AHOY! Brand:
Jackson Shelstad, University of Oregon
Chloe Kitts, University of South Carolina
Jalil Bethea, University of Miami
Athletes Drafted by the WHEAT THINS and TRISCUIT Brands:
Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty and formerly University of Connecticut
RJ Davis, University of North Carolina
Throughout the tournament, Mondelēz International brands OREO, RITZ, CHIPS AHOY!, TRISCUIT, and WHEAT THINS will leverage their official partnership to get some lucky March Madness® fans unrivaled access to the Final Four® and game-changing prizes. Users are invited to visit the Win Time Outz microsite daily to earn sweepstakes entries for free or by entering a product UPC, trying out crowd-pleasing recipes, and even playing a virtual Pop-A-Shot game branded with Mondelēz gameday favorites. Players can test their skills and earn chances to win one of hundreds of prizes including a trip to the 2026 NCAA Men's or Women's Final Four. Other prizes include a personalized message on social media from an NCAA partner athlete, autographed merch, gift cards, and more! *See below for additional details including a link to the Official Rules.
At the Men's Final Four, the RITZ, OREO, CHIPS AHOY! and WHEAT THINS brands will also host the ultimate fan experience and offer giveaways at the San Antonio Fan Fest from April 4-7. Brandon Dwyer of Florida Gulf Coast University will surprise fans with a chance to win a Mystery Box Challenge. Attendees can also try RITZ Toasted Chips, CHIPS AHOY! Big Chewy Cookies and Blondie Baked Bites, as well as belVita Banana Energy Bites during the activities.
The belVita brand will have an inaugural presence on the ground for the NCAA Women's Final Four, in Tampa, Florida from April 3-6. The brand will give away samples of its new belVita Energy Snack Bites and host a meet-and-greet.
The Mondelēz portfolio presence at the March Madness tournament builds on what's already flourishing into a long-term focus on sports, including the RITZ brand's first ever Big Game spot and a recently announced partnership between Mondelēz with Inter Miami CF.
"Mondelēz is a proud and long-time NCAA corporate partner, and this year marks an exciting step forward with the expansion of our portfolio's presence at the Women's Final Four," said Tanya Berman, Senior Vice President, Biscuits. "Our expanded partnership is another testament to how our brands continue to show up on gameday snack platters across the country."
*NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER. Open to residents of the 50 U.S./D.C. & Puerto Rico 18 years+. Ends 4/7/25. Game has 3 phases with different prizes; see Official Rules for dates. Visit microsite for Rules incl. free entry method. Void where prohibited.
About Mondelēz InternationalMondelēz International, Inc. (Nasdaq: MDLZ) empowers people to snack right in over 150 countries around the world. With 2024 net revenues of approximately $36.4 billion, MDLZ is leading the future of snacking with iconic global and local brands such as OREO, RITZ, LU, CLIF BAR and TATE'S BAKE SHOP biscuits and baked snacks, as well as CADBURY DAIRY MILK, MILKA and TOBLERONE chocolate. Mondelēz International is a proud member of the Standard and Poor's 500, Nasdaq 100 and Dow Jones Sustainability Index. Visit www.mondelezinternational.com or follow the company on X at www.x.com/MDLZ
Media ContactWeber Shandwick RITZ Teamwswnycritz@webershandwick.com
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SOURCE Mondelēz International
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