- AJ Lawson, Toronto Raptors guard/forward, stars in Think Turkey's new 15-second "You Turkey" TV and digital spot, which debuted during the U.S. college basketball championships.
- The campaign will run through the NBA championship series, with additional behind-the-scenes content rolling out on Think Turkey's social channels.
- This is Lawson's first known partnership with Think Turkey; the brand previously worked with Canadian Olympic athletes Damian Warner, Vanessa Gilles, hockey pro Emmy Fecteau, and pickleball champion Christina Chin.
- The deal comes on the heels of a major career milestone for Lawson. The Raptors converted his two-way contract to a standard deal in April 2026, also making him eligible for the postseason.
Canadian Turkey tapped Lawson to headline its “You Turkey” campaign, launching a 15-second spot supported by a national TV, digital, and social push. The ad debuted during the U.S. college basketball championships and will continue through the professional basketball championship series.
The Toronto-born guard/forward, just had his two-way contract with the Toronto Raptors converted to a standard deal, a move that also makes him postseason-eligible for the first time. He’s averaging 21.6 points per game for the Raptors 905 in the G League this season.
Lawson said ground turkey is a dietary staple, citing turkey burgers as a go-to protein source that he preps ahead of time to stay consistent on a busy schedule.
This is Lawson’s first known deal with Canadian Turkey. The brand, which launched its “You Turkey” campaign in 2025, previously partnered with Olympic gold medalists Damian Warner and Vanessa Gilles, professional hockey player Emmy Fecteau, and Canadian pickleball champion Christina Chin.
Just like Stephen Curry and Luka Dončić lending their names to Google’s NBA Playoffs push, brands are increasingly betting on athletes who are culturally relevant in their home markets, not just global superstars.
Lawson’s partnership, much like Carmelo Anthony’s recent capsule with Ksubi, shows that authentic personal narrative, not just fame, is what’s driving today’s athlete brand deals.
Takeaways
Canadian Turkey’s move to bring in AJ Lawson is smart timing. He’s not just a feel-good local story, he’s a guy trending upward on the court at exactly the moment basketball has the country’s attention.
The brand has clearly found a formula: pair Canadian turkey with Canadian athletes who are grinding toward something, not just cashing in at the top.
Lawson’s “I prep my meals so I’m ready” energy is relatable in a way that celebrity endorsements often aren’t, and that authenticity is exactly what a domestic food brand needs to break through.
Does signing a rising NBA player, rather than an established star, make Canadian Turkey’s campaign feel more genuine to everyday Canadians? How much does Lawson being a Toronto native change the impact of this campaign compared to a non-Canadian athlete?
