Why Experian chose Travis Kelce to star in a campaign…before the Taylor Swift rumors

Experian, a data broker and credit reporting company, might have a crystal ball: It’s one of the handful of companies currently running a campaign starring Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs tight end and Taylor Swift’s rumored partner.

The campaign, meant to build awareness of Experian’s new checking account and debit card, kicked off on Oct. 1, a week to the day after Swift showed up at Kansas City’s Arrowhead Stadium and bejeweled the NFL. But it’s been in the works for “quite some time,” Dacy Yee, Experian’s CMO of consumer services, told Marketing Brew.

As many brands have scrambled to capitalize on Traylor mania in recent weeks, Experian didn’t make any creative changes to its Kelce campaign, Yee said, which includes a series of ads that will run throughout the NFL season. But the company is “excited to see his star rise,” she said, noting the fortuitous timing of their partnership.

Yee said Kelce was a “great fit” for the campaign not only because of his NFL accolades—including two Super Bowl wins—but also because of his on-screen presence and comedy chops (he hosted Saturday Night Live earlier this year).

The first ad in the campaign, called “Stats” and created by Experian’s in-house agency, leans into comedy. It’s meant to “turn the tables on fandom,” Yee said, by having Kelce marvel over a fan’s payment history and lack of debt.

“[Kelce] is an extremely talented individual,” Yee said. “He’s extremely open and wonderful with working with our team, would ask for feedback, and was a pleasure to work with.”

Reach is one of the main KPIs of the campaign, according to Yee, as are product awareness and engagement.

The ad is running across several broadcast networks and streaming platforms including Hulu, Netflix, and Roku. Kelce also posted it to his Instagram, and Experian is sponsoring New Heights, Kelce’s podcast with his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. Additionally, Yee said Experian is working with celebs, including singer and actress Coco Jones and influencer Lele Pons, in an effort to reach as many people as possible. The football audience is particularly important, though, she said.

“We know football fans are passionate, and games really bring together a broad and diverse set of consumers,” she told us. “Football also attracts young adults…and so with the Experian Smart Money program being especially beneficial to those who are new to credit or want to build their credit profile, sports marketing becomes very interesting for us.”

According to Yee, Experian doesn’t have campaign performance metrics to share yet, but early signs could point to success: TV measurement company EDO found that viewers who saw that commercial in the past week have been 10% more likely to engage with the brand online compared to those who saw other Experian ads.

Yee said Experian is “really, really optimistic” that it’ll continue to do well.