Jackson Shelstad, Caleb Love, JuJu Watkins headline Mondelez March Madness NIL campaign

Just a few days before Selection Sunday, Mondelēz is launching its March Madness NIL campaign. The parent company behind brands such as RITZ, Chips Ahoy! and Oreos is bringing in some big names in college basketball.

Oregon guard Jackson Shelstad, Arizona guard Caleb Love and USC guard JuJu Watkins are the headliners of the campaign. Shelstad and Watkins starred in a TV commercial, while Love is promoting the brands on his social media pages.

LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson, South Carolina forward Chloe Kitts and North Carolina guard RJ Davis are also part of the campaign along with Miami’s Jalil Bethea, Florida Gulf Coast’s Brandon Dwyer and WNBA star Breanna Stewart. Each athlete was “drafted” by one of the brands under the Mondelēz umbrella.

“Mondelēz is a proud and long-time NCAA corporate partner, and this year marks an exciting step forward with the expansion of our portfolio’s presence at the Women’s Final Four,” said Tanya Berman, Mondelēz Senior Vice President, in a statement. “Our expanded partnership is another testament to how our brands continue to show up on gameday snack platters across the country.”

Mondelēz will also be in San Antonio for the men’s Final Four and in Tampa for the women’s Final Four. Fans will be able to attend a Fan Fest in San Antonio for a chance to win a trip to the 2026 Final Four.

Shelstad and Love both spoke with On3 about their involvement in the campaign. Shelstad is part of the Chips Ahoy! group with Kitts and Bethea, and Love is working with RITZ alongside Watkins.

Jackson Shelstad reflects on first TV commercial

For Jackson Shelstad, filming the commercial was a unique experience. He has known JuJu Watkins for some time, and they were able to spend a day in Los Angeles filming the 30-second spot. It was also his first time starring in an ad, and he admitted it took a few takes to get it all right.

“It was my first commercial,” Shelstad told On3 via Zoom. “But just learning from everyone that was there on set. We actually had two actors who are in the commercial, as well. So learning from them was cool.

“Being an actor, you’ve got to have that personality. Just learning from them was really cool. It took me some time to get comfortable and show my acting skills, but it was a great experience.”

The partnership with Mondelēz is the latest major step into the NIL space for Shelstad as he adds to his NIL portfolio. Repped by Momentous Sports Partners, he also signed a deal with Settlemier’s Jackets last year for custom letterman jackets. He gifted one each to Oregon greats Payton Pritchard and Sabrina Ionescu.

But to star in a commercial during the NCAA tournament, when all eyes are on college basketball, made the deal with Mondelēz even more special. Of course, it also helps Shelstad – like many of us – grew up snacking on Chips Ahoy! cookies.

“I’m just really excited about it because I’ve been a fan of Chips Ahoy! since I was really young,” Shelstad said. “It’s been one of my favorite snacks since I was really little. I’m really excited for this deal and I think it’s a great time to have it come out, during March Madness – the biggest time in college basketball.”

Caleb Love embracing social media platform with Mondelēz deal

After being “drafted” by the RITZ brand, Caleb Love’s partnership with Mondelēz includes posts on social media for promotion. With 412,000 social media followers – including 310,000 on Instagram – he has the platform to capitalize on such opportunities.

But he also keeps it in perspective. With such a strong following, Love said he also has to keep playing at a high level on the court.

“It’s a blessing because you … not only built up a following, but your play, as well, is backing that up,” Love told On3 via Zoom. “When you have a following like that, you build an audience. You’ve got kids looking up to you, you’re a big influence on others and you’ve got to take pride in that.

“I think that I’ve had so much time to build my so-called resume on social media. So I think I’ve done a great job up to this point.”

Love started his college career at North Carolina before arriving at Arizona in 2023. Repped by Priority Sports, he has built an NIL portfolio that includes deals with Powerade and The NIL Store. He also re-upped with the UA-focused collective Arizona Assist to release new merchandise, which featured a newly announced jersey number.

But joining forces with Mondelēz is especially full-circle because he eats RITZ crackers as snacks. He also said he hopes the partnership continues to build even after the March Madness NIL campaign.

“I’m excited for it,” Love said. “I’m excited for partnering with RITZ, specifically RITZ toasted chips. RITZ has always been one of my go-to snacks.

“I’m grateful for the opportunity that presented itself and I’m glad they chose me to partner with them. I’m just excited for our partnership to grow.”