In Brief: Marriott Bonvoy has unveiled a sports-themed campaign and podcast series, aligning its marketing efforts with the widely-followed March Madness basketball tournament.
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West Wilson and Sophie Cunningham host Marriott Bonvoy’s new ‘Live From The Bracket’ Podcast – Image Credit Marriott International
Marriott Bonvoy has launched its “Where Gameday Checks In” campaign, featuring a new podcast series and opportunities for fans to win experiences at the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four.
Marriott Bonvoy has launched its “Where Gameday Checks In” campaign, which includes the limited podcast series “Live From the Bracket” and a Women’s Final Four 1-Point Drop. The campaign coincides with the NCAA Men’s and Women’s Final Four events.
The “Live From the Bracket” podcast series is produced in partnership with the Show Me Something podcast, hosted by professional basketball player Sophie Cunningham and sports journalist West Wilson. Debuting March 24, the four-episode series will run throughout March Madness and be available on YouTube, Instagram, X, Facebook, Apple, and Spotify. The podcast will feature discussions about college basketball culture and the experiences of athletes, fans, and families during sports travel. The premiere episode will be recorded at the JW Marriott Indianapolis during a bracket installation event, with the final episode also taking place there during the Men’s Final Four weekend.
Marriott Bonvoy Moments will launch a Women’s Final Four 1-Point Drop on March 16, allowing members to redeem one point for experiences including a four-night stay at Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, Women’s Final Four suite tickets, and VIP seats at a live taping of a “Live From the Bracket” episode in Phoenix. Starting March 20, fans can enter a sweepstakes for a chance to win tickets to the Men’s Final Four in 2026 or tickets to both the Women’s and Men’s Final Four in 2027 by commenting on “Live From the Bracket” posts on Show Me Something’s Instagram account. No purchase is necessary to enter, but participants must be Marriott Bonvoy members and at least 18 years old in the 50 U.S. states or D.C. The sweepstakes ends April 15, 2026.
The campaign features a series of commercials set at various Marriott Bonvoy properties, depicting athletes, teams, and fans preparing for and celebrating game day. Developed with Wieden+Kennedy New York and directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris, the commercials include appearances by Geno Auriemma, Azzi Fudd, Ilona Maher, Sam Coffey, three University of Texas football players, the University of Oregon Duck, and Kirk Herbstreit. Filming locations include Fairfield by Marriott Inn & Suites South Kingstown Newport Area, SpringHill Suites by Marriott Los Angeles Downey, Courtyard by Marriott Anaheim, and TownePlace Suites by Marriott Murfreesboro.
The campaign launched March 1 in-stadium during the SheBelieves Cup, with a subsequent rollout on social and digital platforms such as Meta and TikTok beginning March 10. Thirty-second and fifteen-second commercials will air during NCAA March Madness and U.S. Soccer friendlies throughout the year.
Marriott Bonvoy is the official hotel partner of the NCAA and the U.S. Soccer Federation. The company partnered with Learfield to support its NCAA school partnerships in the campaign, including collaborations with UConn, the University of Oregon, and the University of Texas.
Additional information about “Live From the Bracket,” the 1-Point Drop, and other experiences is available at moments.marriottbonvoy.com.
