How NetApp Turned Partnerships with the NFL and San Francisco 49ers Into Breakthrough Brand Moments
- Lisa Martin
- Apr 2
- 1 min read
What if your biggest brand breakthrough didn’t start with marketing…but with a customer?
In this episode of CMOs Unscripted, Lisa Martin talks with NetApp CMO Gabie Boko as she breaks down how a long-time customer relationship with the NFL turned into one of the most powerful B2B brand moments in recent years.
This wasn’t a typical sponsorship. It started with a customer need and then evolved into a brand strategy. Ultimately, it became a playbook in how B2B companies can break through in an AI-saturated world.
Gabie shares:
How customer relationships can unlock unexpected brand opportunities
Why sports is one of the last places to capture real human attention at scale
How to make invisible technology visible through strategic storytelling
What it takes to align internal teams around bold brand moves
Why authenticity is no longer a brand value, but an operational requirement
How to turn partnerships into true business impact (not just “logo slap”)
You’ll also get a behind-the-scenes look at:
The data complexity behind an NFL game
What “intelligent data infrastructure” actually looks like in real life
How NetApp approached the Super Bowl LX as a brand moment
If you’re a CMO, founder, or marketing leader trying to stand out in a crowded content landscape, this is a playbook you don’t want to miss.
Watch the full episode here:
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