Why Home Depot Aims to Spotlight DIY Projects With its March Madness Campaign

It was announced last week that Home Depot will partner with the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The three-year agreement gives them access to all 90 NCAA tournaments. The announcement comes just as college basketball’s March Madness started.

To initiate the partnership, Home Depot is using March Madness as a platform to launch its DIY (do-it-yourself) campaign, featuring Shaquille O’Neal and Home Depot associates. The goal is to engage basketball fans and DIY enthusiasts by offering an extensive collection of project guides and step-by-step videos.

Home Depot’s campaign will include advertisements on linear TV channels such as CBS, TBS, TNT, TruTV, and the ESPN Network, along with digital and social media content. Additionally, the campaign will incorporate integrations and experiential activations, such as the onsite “Tool Shaq,” enabling attendees at the Men’s and Women’s Final Four to experience firsthand how to incorporate March Madness into their DIY projects. This multi-channel approach aims to enhance brand visibility and engagement while providing valuable experiences for consumers.

“Sports partnerships are part of the DNA of The Home Depot and our longterm, 22-season partnership with ESPN’s College GameDay really shows how this can come to life successfully,” said Heather Themelis, Senior. Manager of Sports Marketing at Home Depot. “In addition to kicking this campaign off during March Madness and spring, our busiest time of year,” Our partnership with NCAA will also bring women’s sports into our portfolio and we are excited to be expanding here and focusing on this demographic.”

Themelis highlighted the parallel between The Home Depot and the NCAA Basketball Tournament, noting that both represent dynamic environments where individuals actively pursue their objectives. Given that many Home Depot customers are passionate sports enthusiasts, the excitement of March Madness perfectly aligns with the spring season, resonating well with our customer base. Consequently, the decision was made to launch this campaign alongside the commencement of March Madness.

Home Depot will maintain a digital presence throughout all games of the March Madness tournaments, including both the men’s and women’s events. Women’s College Basketball is experiencing a spike in interest this year, and the ad inventory for brands and marketers is quickly selling out. 

“Home Depot’s NCAA sponsorship and Tips from the “Tool Shaq” campaign featuring store associates and Shaquille O’Neal is a classic and proven marketing 101 strategy to target DIY suburban males,” Said Allen Adamson, Co-founder and Managing Partner at Metaforce. “While they will not likely win an ad or sponsorship innovation award for the program, it will likely be ‘on brand’ and effective for the Home Depot brand.”

Just like Powerade and RITZ, Home Depot will have a physical presence that will be established onsite for attendees of both the Men’s and Women’s Final Four games. The activation will center around the engaging concept of the “Tool Shaq,” providing a lively and interactive experience for participants.

Social media has significantly boosted the reach and influence of home improvement and DIY projects, which have been popular pastimes for years. With TikTok and other platforms offering home improvement tips and inspiration, DIY enthusiasts have emerged as hubs for DIY enthusiasts. TikTok is a growing trend among DIY users that inspires and engages them in creative projects and Home Depot recognizes this trend.