Ninja and Tom Brady Give 5 Boston Families Backyard Upgrades

Ninja sent Tom Brady door to door across Greater Boston with a van full of outdoor cooking equipment.

However, the families on the other side had no idea he was coming.

The campaign, titled "Tom Upgrady," was announced by the appliance brand on April 6.

It centers on five surprise home visits in the Boston area, where families had their backyards outfitted with products from Ninja's outdoor portfolio.

Each household also received a FaceTime call from Brady as the branded van pulled up outside.

The product lineup included the FlexFlame Outdoor Cooking System, the Fireside360 Outdoor Heater and Fire Pit, and the FrostVault Cooler.

The Woodfire Pro Connect Grill and Smoker and the Artisan Electric Pizza and Outdoor Oven were also part of the package.

For brands and agencies, the campaign is a clean example of how celebrity partnerships can be built around product demonstration at scale.

A Summer-Long Campaign

The five Boston families are part of the launch content, but the campaign is designed to run through the summer.

Fans who tag @NinjaKitchen and use #TomUpgrady can enter to receive the same backyard makeover from wherever they are in the U.S.

This adds a participatory layer to the campaign, while also giving it a reason for ongoing social engagement during the warmer months.

Brady spoke about the partnership in an official statement for the campaign:

"I've always believed winning starts with having the right tools. That's true on the field, and it's true in life," he said.

"The backyard is one of my favorite places to slow down, grill some food, and enjoy time with family and friends. When you've got great equipment, everything just comes together."

The initiative connects Brady's personal brand identity to a domestic, relatable context that Americans will understand.

Backed by Real Data

Ninja is building the campaign around a specific consumer pain point.

The ICFA 2025 Outdoor Living Trend Report found a sizeable gap between how much outdoor space U.S. households have and how much of it is used.

Ninja isn't just telling people its products are good for outdoor cooking.

It's showing what a fully equipped backyard looks like in practice, on real people's properties, with a talent choice that has huge credibility in the sports and lifestyle space.

Brady's involvement is also backed by a bigger context.

He's a New England-area figure, and the surprise visits took place in Greater Boston, which gives the campaign geographic specificity.

Three things stand out about how this campaign functions as a product launch:

• Anchor the idea in a real usage gap. A clear behavior problem gives the activation a reason to exist beyond showing the product.
• Put the product in real-life settings. Seeing it used in actual homes makes the benefit easier to understand and more credible.
• Build participation into the rollout early. A social mechanic tied to the core idea keeps engagement active after launch.

This kind of setup gives the campaign room to extend across channels without losing focus.

Our Take: Is Brady the Right Choice for Ninja?

We think so, and the Boston location is a big part of why.

Brady, formerly the star player of the New England Patriots, has a massive association with Greater Boston.

A different ambassador doing the same thing in a city they have no connection to would have felt like a press stunt.

It's also worth bringing up the product range, as Ninja isn't just promoting one item.

It's showing five products working together as a complete outdoor setup, with the surprise visit concept giving the brand a credible way to show the full picture in a single activation.

Brands building celebrity-led product campaigns need agencies that understand how to match talent to context and turn endorsement into demonstration.

Explore these top brand strategy agencies in our directory.