Dive Brief:
- Carvana has teamed with Shaquille O’Neal for a brand partnership that includes a national ad campaign, a website takeover, an artificial intelligence-powered “Shaqbot” assistant and more, per a press release.
- A 30-second spot introduces the company, rebranded as “Shaqvana,” and will air via broadcast and digital channels. A shaqvana.com microsite includes a curated selection of cars and a Shaq Filter search experience.
- The campaign represents the first time the used-car e-commerce company has embedded a celebrity voice, persona and preferences directly into its customer experience.
Dive Insight:
Carvana’s wide-ranging partnership with O’Neal hands the keys to the company to the NBA Hall of Famer and frequent brand ambassador. The campaign grew out of a February 2025 effort with brand partner Jimmie Johnson around the Daytona 500, per materials shared with Marketing Dive.
“While working to bring the Daytona paint scheme to life, Shaq really took an interest to how Carvana was flipping the car buying and selling process on its head,” said Ryan Keeton, Carvana’s chief brand officer, in a statement. “Shaq is a great ambassador for Carvana - he brings the perfect mix of big personality, big heart, and big ideas.”
Along with spots that will air across broadcast, streaming and social channels, the effort includes a Shaq-branded takeover of a microsite that includes curated vehicle selections and custom brand content — all through the prism of the star’s personality. Customers can also use a Shaq Filter to search for cars with the features — like roomy interiors and the latest tech — that O’Neal prefers.
In an embrace of cutting-edge technology, the effort includes Shaqbot, a customer assistant that leverages AI-powered logic and text-to-speech capabilities. The assistant uses voice recordings and “Shaq-approved response logic.” The star’s voice also is being used on Carvana’s phone lines.
Carvana will continue the campaign over the coming months with an additional broadcast spot and social content on channels belonging to the brand and their biggest ambassador. The company in press materials also teased rewarding customers, including students.
The campaign represents a pivot from a more traditional effort starring Jon Hamm that debuted over the summer. Carvana in Q2 2025 saw retail unit sales grow 41% year-over-year and total revenue grow 42% year-over-year — all-time quarterly records.
