Celebrity Name: Jayson Tatum
Brand Name: Amica Insurance
Represented By: 24/7 Sports Management
Deal Type: Brand Endorsement / National Ad Campaign
Announced: February 22, 2026
Impact: Strengthens Tatum’s off-court profile, deepens Amica’s ties to Boston fans, and uses his comeback to humanize the brand’s promise of helping people recover from setbacks
- Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum stars in Amica Insurance’s new “Back to Zero” campaign, spotlighting his comeback from a 2025 Achilles injury suffered in the NBA Playoffs.
- The campaign’s hero video features intimate rehab footage shot alongside his mother Brandy Cole and trainer Nick Sang, set against a literal countdown clock to his return.
- The campaign expands Amica and Tatum’s ongoing partnership, which began with earlier Celtics-focused spots like “Protect Your Legacy” and “Piece by Piece.”
- Amica is activating fans across Boston and nationwide with social content and “0”-themed tributes as Tatum works his way back onto the court.
Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum has teamed up with Amica Insurance for a compelling new campaign titled “Back to Zero,” documenting his comeback from a torn Achilles tendon suffered during the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
The name is a double play: it nods to Tatum’s iconic #0 jersey number and captures the mindset of starting a comeback from scratch.
The campaign’s centerpiece is a hero video blending rare rehab footage with an emotional countdown to Tatum’s return. Viewers get an intimate look at his grind alongside his mother, Brandy Cole, and trainer Nick Sang, the two people who anchored his recovery.
“For me, getting back to zero was about trusting the process and leaning on the people who supported me every step of the way,” Tatum said. “I’m grateful to Amica for standing with me through the recovery, and for celebrating what it means to make a comeback.”
The spot debuted on NBC during the Celtics-Lakers game on February 22, 2026, a prime national stage. Amica is also running a social media activation, asking fans to post creative interpretations of the number “0” across platforms and in their communities.
This deepens a growing brand partnership. Tatum became an Amica ambassador in March 2025, starring in the “Protect Your Legacy” campaign alongside his mother.
Amica also holds the title of Exclusive Auto, Home, and Life Insurance Partner of the Celtics and has had its logo on Celtics jerseys since the 2024–25 season.
As of February 2026, Tatum is more than 40 weeks into his rehab, now in the ramp-up phase that includes five-on-five contact drills, though no official return date has been set.
In other NBA brand deals: Kyrie Irving recently fronted a new campaign for Anta, and Kyle Kuzma was featured in a Champion campaign. Both deals show athletes leaning into storytelling to drive authentic brand value.
Takeaways:
This campaign is a smart and rare move in sports marketing. Instead of waiting for the triumphant return, Amica chose to celebrate the grind: the rehab rooms, the quiet moments with family, the mental exhaustion of a nine-month recovery.
That kind of vulnerability is disarming, and it builds a deeper emotional connection with audiences than any championship highlight reel could.
The timing also can’t be ignored. Tatum’s return has been one of the most watched storylines in the NBA this season. Launching the campaign now, right as anticipation peaks, puts Amica at the center of that cultural moment, not as a bystander, but as a genuine partner in the story.
For Tatum, this campaign does something equally important: it humanizes him. Sharing behind-the-scenes footage and leaning on family publicly reinforces the values that made him a compelling brand partner in the first place.
Does seeing Tatum’s rehab journey make you view Amica as more human and trustworthy? Do you think more athletes will lean into vulnerable, behind-the-scenes storytelling in future campaigns?
