Humann x Texas Athletics

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

The one-of-a-kind partnership orchestrated by college sports leader Learfield, brought together cardiovascular health innovator Humann and Texas Athletics to promote Humann’s longtime connection to the University and its leadership in cardiovascular performance. While the history between Humann and Texas was well documented, the story had not truly been told prior to this campaign, which leveraged original content and 24 Texas student-athlete influencers to elevate the partnership and authentically connect to fans and athletes everywhere. 

The campaign storytelling and brand integration has become the lifeblood of a deeper relationship between Humann and Texas Athletics.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

The Humann x Texas campaign exemplified the perfect one-of-one partnership that provided a unique story of how the two entities were intertwined from the start. The original content and fan activations that were developed by Learfield helped deliver fan engagement by seamlessly integrating the Humann and Texas brands and stories in a natural, authentic way.

The partnership launched in August 2025 with an earned media campaign and original content. The campaign uniquely leveraged 24 student-athletes across nine sports as storytellers, including nationally ranked women’s basketball players Madison Booker and Rori Harmon, softball player Reese Atwood, track athlete Kendrick Smallwood, and athletes across all sports for men and women.

Additionally, a dedicated campaign supporting American Heart Month was executed during basketball season. This campaign brought focus to cardiovascular health through immersive, in-game experiences designed to help fans see - and feel - what cardiovascular health looks like. Parachute drops, unique lighting, and other branding moments turned Texas’ Moody Center into an experiential arena that felt like the inside of the vascular system. The basketball teams shooing shirts were emblazoned with “In Our Veins – Humann.”

Objective

The collaboration with Learfield and Texas Athletics underscores Humann’s mission to make better blood flow the foundation for both peak performance and everyday wellness

A multifaceted campaign that includes unique storytelling through original content and prominent branding opportunities bolstered that Humann’s cardiovascular health products were inspired by Nobel-Prize winning scientific research at the UT Health Science Center. The content campaign was designed to reinforce that Humann’s science-backed supplements, including its flagship SuperBeets®, are trusted by collegiate and everyday athletes worldwide. For over a decade, Texas Athletics’ trainers and athletes have used Humann products, contributing to 20+ national championships, demonstrating cardiovascular performance is a competitive advantage.

Strategy & Execution

The strategy centered on authentic storytelling, using Texas Athletics’ championship culture and Humann’s UT science roots to connect elite athletic performance with everyday cardiovascular health. Learfield Studios developed content and activations that positioned Humann as a necessary part of college sports fans' regular routines. The strategy also reinforced the University’s guiding belief of “what starts here changes the world.”

Learfield Studios worked with Humann to develop and produce a multimedia campaign with original content that connected Texas fans with the brand’s unique origin and products. Content included a short-form documentary on the historical connection between Texas and Humann, a campaign microsite that housed content on the texaslonghorns.com website, and social media content. The campaign also integrated student-athlete influencers to help tell the Humann story via social media posts and email campaigns. 

To complement the media strategy and provide a more direct connection to Texas athletics, Humann also invested in on-field and on-court logo rights, prominently displaying the company’s brand across all Texas sports (men’s and women’s).

Organizations

• • Humann
  • University of Texas Athletics
  • Learfield

Links

•   Website

Featured

• Texas Athletes included in the Campaign:

  • CJ Baxter - Football
  • Ryan Niblett - Football
  • Jelani McDonald - Football
  • Jaylon Guilbeau - Football
  • Dailyn Swain - Men's Basketball
  • Simeon Wilcher - Men's Basketball
  • Camden Heide - Men's Basketball
  • Madison Booker - Women's Basketball
  • Aaliyah Crump - Women's Basketball
  • Jordan Lee - Women's Basketball
  • Rori Harmon - Women's Basketball
  • Teagan Kavan - Softball
  • Reese Atwood - Softball
  • Torrey Stafford - Volleyball
  • Cari Spears - Volleyball
  • Dylan Volantis - Baseball
  • Aiden Robbins - Baseball
  • Will Modglin - Swimming & Diving
  • Campbell Stoll - Swimming & Diving
  • Rex Maurer - Swimming & Diving
  • Kendrick Smallwood - Track & Field
  • Elise Cooper - Track & Field
  • Tommy Morrison - Golf
  • Farah O'Keefe - Golf

Credits

Joel Kocher
CEO and Co-Founder,
Humann

AnnMarie Kocher
President and Co-Founder
Humann

Kelly Harrelson
CMO
Humann

Jon Sander
VP, Integrated Marketing Campaigns, Humann
Humann

Chris Del Conte
Vice President and Lois and Richard Folger Athletics Director
The University of Texas

Drew Martin
Executive Senior Associate Athletics Director, External Affairs
Texas Athletics

Charles Branch
Assistant Athletics Director, Marketing
Texas Athletics

Caten Hyde
Senior Associate Athletics Director, Creative Development and Video Production
Texas Athletics

John Bianco
Senior Associate Athletics Director, Communications
Texas Athletics

Allen Hardin
Chief Medical Officer
Texas Athletics

Lucas Motta
Vice President, Longhorn Sports Properties
Learfield

Eryn McMahan
Senior Manager - Business Development, Longhorn Sports Properties
Learfield

Eddie Tibontchou
Senior Coordinator, Partnership Services, Longhorn Sports Properties
Learfield

Tyler Suddarth
Supervising Producer; Longhorn Sports Properties
Learfield

Josh Lightner
AlwaysOn Editor, Longhorn Sports Properties
Learfield

Caroline Pope
Content Producer, Longhorn Sports Properties
Learfield

Maddie McCain
NIL Partnership Solutions Manager, Longhorn Sports Agency
Learfield

Marshall White
NIL Revenue & Activation, Longhorn Sports Agency
Learfield