Japan Basketball Association
- Nissin Foods, known for Cup Noodles, created the greatest brand sponsorship of all-time.
- During a recent basketball tournament, the floor mops were made to look like their famous product.
- Click HERE for more high school basketball coverage!
Late last year, the Japanese Basketball Association held the SoftBank Winter Cup in Tokyo. Pitting the best high school teams in the country against one another, it also featured the greatest brand placement of all-time.
In basketball, players land on the floor and their sweat gets on the hardwood. It causes a danger hazard in case someone was to slip and fall, and thus, the sweat is mopped up before that can happen. Pretty common knowledge.
However, in Japan, the mops are next-level.
Nissin Foods, based out of Tokyo, is best known for its production and sale of ‘Cup Noodles,’ more commonly referred to as “cup of noodles.” Also known as instant ramen.
Nissin sponsored the Winter Cup and did so in very unique fashion. The mops for the tournament were made to look like Cup Noodles. They’re awesome.
やらかしてる！と見せかけて、ちゃんと掃除してます。#モップヌードル #ウインターカップで使用中 #バスケ pic.twitter.com/VXThaSRkJK
— カップヌードル (@cupnoodle_jp) December 27, 2021
Anytime a drop of sweat hit the floor, out came the noodle mops, complete with shrimp, egg and, of course, mystery meat.
Japanese high school basketball has better mops than the @NBA #NBA75 #ウインターカップ pic.twitter.com/zKjaxe4Rwm
— 大西玲央 Reo Onishi (@ReoOnishi) December 28, 2021
Here is how the Cup Noodle mops looked in action.
#モップヌードル 使用中🧹🍜#ウインターカップ#高校バスケ pic.twitter.com/xFSlU3cyiv
— 高校バスケby日本バスケットボール協会(JBA) (@U18_JBA) December 27, 2021
The noodle mop has only been used at the Winter Cup so far. However, if Nissin was smart, it would immediately put in an offer to sponsor the NBA and every single basketball organization in the world.
The mops are such a great conversation starter and, in turn, an incredible marketing strategy. There has never been a greater brand placement.