- NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O’Neal has signed an agreement spanning over a year as the global brand ambassador for digital privacy company NordVPN.
- Operating under the slogan “Go big on your online protection,” the campaign focuses on demystifying cybersecurity and teaching everyday internet users how to recognize scams, malware, and phishing attacks.
- O'Neal will travel to Vilnius, Lithuania, for a global press conference, star in a national commercial spot titled “Can You Dig It,” and headline a consumer cybersecurity showcase in New York City this fall.
- The partnership represents O'Neal's first venture into the cybersecurity sector and marks NordVPN's largest mainstream celebrity endorsement campaign to date.
Digital security company NordVPN named NBA legend and broadcaster Shaquille O’Neal as its new global brand ambassador on September 14, 2026. The partnership will run for more than 12 months under the campaign banner “Go big on your online protection”.
The collaboration aims to make digital defense approachable for everyday households, helping users spot phishing links, identity scams, and malicious downloads.
As part of the rollout, O’Neal stars in the national 60-second television spot “Can You Dig It” and launched promotional content across social platforms.
His ambassador duties also include an international press trip to Vilnius, Lithuania, where Nord Security originated, alongside headlining a live consumer tech demonstration in New York City later this fall.
This agreement marks O’Neal’s first partnership with NordVPN. While the security firm previously sponsored British rugby star Danny Care in 2025 and built long-standing sponsorships with digital creators like MrBeast and PewDiePie, signing O’Neal signals its push to position its tools, such as its next-gen antivirus and scam alerts, as essential household consumer utilities.
The deal adds to a busy commercial slate for O’Neal, whose licensing agreements are steered by Authentic Brands Group. Earlier this year, he expanded his home collection with a Rooms To Go mattress line, partnered with General Mills on the nationwide “Biggest Fan” contest, and fronted campaigns for Credit One Bank and telecom carrier Turkcell.
Outside of corporate partnerships, O’Neal remains a beloved analyst on TNT and continues to headline major electronic dance music festivals, including Tomorrowland and Lost Lands, under his DJ Diesel moniker. Through NordVPN, he now applies his signature charisma to help internet users stay safe online.
Takeaways
Cybersecurity brands have spent years trying to move out of the technical shadows, and this alliance with Shaquille O’Neal accelerates that transition.
Historically, antivirus software relied on alarmist marketing that highlighted computer viruses and shadowy hackers. By enlisting one of the world’s most recognizable and jovial figures, NordVPN shifts the narrative toward proactive digital hygiene. The messaging is practical: if a 7-foot-1 athletic powerhouse makes scam defense part of his daily routine, the average consumer can easily do the same.
For Shaq, adding cybersecurity to a portfolio that spans fast food, hospitality, apparel, and telecommunications demonstrates that authentic commercial star power can make even complex software feel familiar and accessible.
Can an affable pop-culture icon like Shaq change how regular internet users perceive the threat of phishing and identity theft? Will NordVPN’s shift toward high-profile celebrity ambassadors push rival antivirus companies to abandon technical marketing in favor of entertainment stars?
