Plant-based meat company Beyond Meat has seen rapid growth in the last two years thanks in part to endorsements from several NBAers, and the idea that those players are "now the face of veggie burgers represents a seismic shift -- both in business strategy and in people's views on food, sports and masculinity," according to Chris Ballard of SI. Pelicans G J.J. Redick, Thunder G Chris Paul, Pacers G Victor Oladipo, Kings F Harrison Barnes and Nets G Kyrie Irving and C DeAndre Jordan were all early investors in Beyond Meat. Redick was "one of the first converts" when he "signed on as a company 'ambassador,' receiving stock options." From there, Beyond Meat Founder & CEO Ethan Brown "approached other athletes with the opportunity to invest, focusing on NBA players because of their recognizability." As with Redick, he "pitched both ethical and environmental considerations and -- crucially -- the potential performance benefits." Part of what attracted athletes was the "allure and sheen of a new health product." Brown also told athletes that they could "proceed at their own pace as 'ambassadors.'" That meant "no hokey ads" and "nothing off-brand." Last February, the company "put out its first major TV ad with Irving." For 50-odd seconds, the spot shows "Kyrie training, Kyrie shooting, Kyrie dribbling." At the end, Beyond Meat "appears, alongside the company's logo of a caped steer." Paul's ad is "similarly low-key: We see him shooting hoops with his son, then grilling out as he talks about modeling responsible behavior" (SI, 9/23 issue).
