Iowa State's Alec Cook joins NIL deal with teammates Purchase, Moore, Hamann, Bacon

It’s the sequel the NIL Era needed.

Iowa State football players Myles Purchase, Tyler Moore, Tommy Hamann and Caleb Bacon went viral in September with their NIL deal with the Iowa Pork Producers.

In a post on X, the players posed in a picture with their backs to the camera. The photo resulted in the most appropriate NIL commercial maybe ever with the players’ names promoting followers to: Purchase Moore Hamman and Bacon.

It was a smashing success, generating over 2.6 million views, and more than 7,600 engagements.

Now the Iowa Pork Producers is back again. This time it’s a new NIL deal that features the original cast and newcomer Alec Cook, a linebacker for the Cyclones.

In a commercial promoting pork products posted on X, Purchase, Moore, Hamann and Bacon (get it) are staring at an SUV full of ham.

The four players ponder what the heck they’re going to do with all the ham. Cook then enters the frame with a satisfying suggestion.

“That’s a lot more,” Moore says.

“A lot more ham,” Hamman follows up.

“A lot more bacon,” Bacon continues.

“So now what,” Purchase asks as the four players shrug their shoulders.

“Men don’t worry,” Cook responds. “I got this.”

🚨The sequel you didn't know you needed…..It's time to COOK Moore Hamann Bacon!#IowaPork #purchasemoorehamannbacon pic.twitter.com/vbM2z9J5HK

— Iowa Pork Producers (@IowaPork) November 1, 2023

Iowa State players’ NIL deal is ‘amazing’

Michael Ehrlich knows a creative NIL deal when he sees one. He previously worked as the head of athlete engagement for MarketPryce. Now he’s operating Playbook Marketing, his own marketing and consulting agency.

When the brand-building expert saw the NIL deal with the Iowa State players, he described it in one word – “amazing.”

“As we are off and running in year three of NIL, the brand partnerships that truly breakthrough are those rooted in authenticity,” Ehrlich told On3. “What Iowa Pork brought to life – leveraging the unique last names of Cyclone players – is simple, yet creative and will certainly take a regional story and garner national conversations.”

And just like the original post, the new deal is quickly picking up steam on social media. It’s been viewed more than 115,000 times in less than two hours and the responses are highly supportive.

“This is what NIL was made for,” one user posted. “Thank you pork producers.”

“That’s it,” another posted. “Hamann Bacon sandwiches for the game this Saturday! Every Saturday! Every day!”

Big return for Iowa Pork Producers

Trish Cook, president of the Iowa Pork Producers Association, said the deals make so much sense, especially after a photo of Hamman and Bacon on the Iowa State sideline went viral after the Cyclones’ season opener.

“These young men are not only great football players, they also have strong academic records and great last names,” Cook said. “We couldn’t be more excited to work with them in this fun initiative to publicize Iowa pork.”

In conjunction with the NIL partnership, the Iowa Pork Producers Association will donate $1,000 of pork to each player’s food pantry of choice. Iowa State’s We Will Collective facilitated the NIL opportunity.