Ariat kicks off its biggest football season ever with its new “TG1” campaign starring San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and fellow brand ambassador Josh Hoover, quarterback for Indiana University.
TG1 is a lighthearted ’80s-inspired video featuring Purdy coaching Hoover, the Western brand’s first-ever NCAA ambassador, through “tailgating camp,” where he learns the fundamentals of the beloved pre-game tradition—setting up chairs and a tent, grilling burgers, playing cornhole, and wearing the right boots and jeans. (Ariat, of course.)
The spot is part of the Western brand’s season-long effort to position itself as the Official Uniform of Football Season with a Game Day Ready collection that includes boots, jeans, sweatshirts, caps, and more. Rounding out the campaign will be a series of in-store tailgate-themed events at select Ariat retail locations nationwide with games, giveaways, drinks, and music.
For both Purdy and Hoover, who have deep roots in Western lifestyle, repping Ariat feels like an authentic fit. Purdy, who signed a multi-year partnership with the brand in 2024, has worn Ariat boots and apparel since his high school years in Arizona and has gifted Ariat boots to his teammates.
“I grew up in Texas, my family has a background in ranching, and I co-own a cattle company, so Ariat has been part of my world for a long time,” Hoover says. “It’s an honor to officially join the Ariat team and work with a brand that feels so connected to who I am.”
Both athletes “share a genuine connection to Western culture and a respect for hard work, strong character, and the people who have supported them along the way,” says Susan Alcala, Ariat’s vice president of partnership marketing.
She adds that TG1 provides a way to show fans a different side of two fierce competitors and to celebrate the fact that “Football is about so much more than what happens on the field. It’s the traditions, the tailgates, the fans, and the communities that make game day special.
“Ariat is proud to be part of those traditions and to outfit fans for football season,” adds Alcala.
Earlier this year, Ariat became an official partner of the NFL’s Cleveland Browns, providing the official workwear for the team’s home stadium, serving as the presenting partner and provider of work boots and clothing for the team’s grounds crew, and equipping local construction crews working behind the scenes in Cleveland.
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