Kent’s Oberto signs Gronkowski, Pence, Pastrana to promote jerky brand

For the Reporter

Kent-based Oberto, the nation’s leading all natural jerky brand, is teaming up with several athletes as it amps up its 2016 marketing efforts in the red-hot beef jerky category.

The company unveiled on Tuesday that it will bolster its sports endorser lineup with NFL tight end Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots, baseball all-star Hunter Pence of the San Francisco Giants and action sports icon Travis Pastrana, according to a Oberto media release. The trio will join NFL all-pro Richard Sherman of the Seattle Seahawks and renowned sports media personality Stephen A. Smith in Oberto’s multi-faceted marketing and advertising campaign.

The campaign focuses on connecting the brand with active lifestyle and the benefits of its high protein products. Through the success of its recent marketing, Oberto has seen its sales, retail penetration and market share grow significantly over the past year in the meat snacks category that has boomed to more than $3 billion in retail sales. Just in the last 12 weeks, Oberto grew nearly 20 percent compared to last year.

Gronkowski, Pence and Pastrana will play a fundamental role to help magnify Oberto’s brand mantra, “You Get Out What You Put In,” highlighting the importance of being selective in the foods and snacks active lifestyle consumers “put in” their bodies to help “get out” optimum performance.

To that end, each of the athletes will star in new additions to Oberto’s popular and memorable “Little Voice In The Stomach” television spots alongside Smith. In the spots, Smith will reprise his role telling the athletes the need to fuel up with Oberto’s lean protein jerky.

“As athletes at the top of their game, Rob, Hunter and Travis are the perfect embodiments of what we stand for here at Oberto,” said Mike Ginal, vice president of marketing, Oberto Brands. “Their performance on the field is indicative of the work they put in off-field, so we couldn’t be more excited to add them to the Oberto family and have them join Richard and Stephen A. in helping to deliver our brand message and further educate consumers on the importance of hard work and lean protein.”

In addition to the individual athlete endorser deals, through the new partnership with Pastrana, Oberto will also enter into a multi-year deal to become a North American sponsor and official beef jerky of Nitro Circus, a leading action sports and entertainment brand, which he founded. Nitro Circus features the world’s best action sports athletes performing daring and record-breaking tricks.

Under the Nitro Circus agreement, Oberto will have an in-stadium presence during each of the shows on the North American tour. Nitro Circus will also create stunts that creatively incorporate the Oberto brand.

For more information about Oberto, visit Oberto.com.