Iowa Pork Producers look to replace ISU player in viral ‘Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon’ ad

Iowans love pork and and they love football.

That is why the Iowa Pork Producers Association is bringing back the viral promotion involving Iowa State University athletes who throw around the old pig skin.

In hopes of encouraging people to buy more ham and bacon, the Iowa Pork Producers Association used a name, image and likeness deal with the last names of Iowa State football players.

Conveniently enough, the last names of ISU Cyclone football players Myles Purchase, Tyler Moore, Tommy Hamann and Caleb Bacon make for a convincing ad campaign: “Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon.” Since the first promotion, Cyclones Alec Cook and Zach Lovett joined the team.

When the promotion first dropped last year, it went viral with millions of views and a feature on ESPN SportsCenter’s social media account, according to the Iowa Pork Producers Association. The Sports Business Journal also named the partnership the Best NIL Deal of 2023.

The promotional campaign is coming back for 2024 and the association is looking for more Cyclones to join.

More: Hardly anyone recruited Caleb Bacon in high school. Now he’s a football star at Iowa State

What’s new for the ‘Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon’ campaign?

Hamann will no longer take part in the promotion. He recently decided to leave Iowa State’s football program to focus on his engineering degree, according to the IPPA. A video came out of Hamann saying goodbye to his fellow teammates.

But this isn’t the end of the campaign. The IPPA is looking for more students to join the promotional cast.

Where can I watch the 2024 ‘Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon’ promotional videos?

Videos can be found on the Iowa Pork Producers Association’s YouTube or social media. Every Monday at 10 a.m. for the next seven weeks, new tryout videos of Cyclone students will air to see if they fit into the “Purchase Moore Hamann Bacon” mantra. The series will end Oct. 7, just in time for National Pork Month known as Porktober.

Pork promotion donates to food banks

For every student who takes part in the ad campaign, IPPA will donate $1,000 worth of pork to a food pantry of the student’s choice. Last year, $13,000 worth of pork was given to food pantries. Donations from the most recent video will go toward the following food banks:

• Food Bank of the Rockies in Denver, Colorado, in the name of Myles Purchase
• DMARC in Des Moines, Iowa, in the name of Tyler Moore
• Interfaith Outreach & Community Partners in Plymouth, Minnesota, in the name of Tommy Hamann
• Lake Mills Food Shelf in Lake Mills, Iowa, in the name of Caleb Bacon
• Food Bank for the Heartland in Omaha, Nebraska, in the name of Alec Cook
• Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida, in the name of Zach Lovett

Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.