Source: NYT > Business (paywall)
The Knicks' competitive resurgence is triggering opportunistic brand behavior far beyond traditional sports marketing—companies with zero basketball relevance are adopting team colors and meme formats to hijack cultural momentum. This reflects how fast-moving social trends compress traditional brand-building cycles: rather than developing authentic category ties, growth teams treat real-time cultural moments as free inventory for engagement, betting that association alone drives relevance. The tactic works short-term but exposes how shallow corporate social presence has become—a willingness to abandon brand voice for algorithmic visibility that may erode actual customer loyalty.