Tropical Smoothie Cafe® Most Recent Brand to Partner With Well-Known Names

In honor of football season, Tropical Smoothie Cafe has announced a partnership with the Jacksonville Jaguars for the return of the Duuuval Delight Smoothie, the Official Smoothie of the team. The smoothie, a tropical mix of banana, coconut and pineapple, is available through January 8th, and participating Jacksonville-area locations will be offering a discounted price each Monday.

"Tropical Smoothie Cafe is looking forward to supporting the Jags for a sixth year with the return of the fan-favorite Duuuval Delight Smoothie, which will be available all season long," Deborah von Kutzleben, chief marketing officer of Tropical Smoothie Cafe, said in the release. “Our partnership with the Jacksonville Jaguars is a fun way to celebrate the season and give us all another reason to cheer for the team.”

This initiative is not new within the franchising space, as multiple QSR and fast casual concepts have associated themselves with big names in recent months.

At the beginning of the year, Krystal named rapper 2 Chainz its first Head of Creative Marketing, explaining that the Atlanta native “understands Krystal’s place in culture and community.”

More recently, actor and comedian Kevin Hart announced the launch of Hart House, an entirely plant-based restaurant that serves burg’rs, chick’n sandwiches, salads and more.

Famous Toastery, a breakfast, brunch and lunch concept, added Jennifer Brulé to its leadership team as Chief Culinary Officer.

As more brands follow suit, it has become clear that partnering with well-known industry names, and even unexpected celebrity figures, is an approach that is gaining traction in the space. For many concepts, forging these partnerships provides a unique opportunity to leverage expertise, visibility and demand all at once.

Not only does celebrity association increase visibility but it can drive demand from both consumers and prospective franchise owners by illustrating a brand’s connection to industry and cultural expertise.