Through his social media posts, ranging from family snapshots to hilarious photoshopped edits, Tom Brady knows how to show the world that he is much more than a quarterback with five Super Bowl rings on his fingers. This personal social media strategy is a great way for Brady to display his “true” self to the world, allowing his fans to relate to his personal brand on an individual level.
It is with this same spirit that Tom Brady is able successfully promote his lifestyle brand, TB12, which aligns seamlessly with the athlete’s public persona. TB12 is a method created by Brady to “help people reach and maintain their peak levels of performance” through workouts, recipes, and athlete recovery sleepwear (yes, that is a real thing). It’s no surprise that these components come at a high cost—we’re talking $200 for a nutrition manual (a.k.a. cookbook) and $100 for the pajama pants—but Brady believes that he is living proof of the success of this method, making it worth the price.
So, what exactly is TB12?
Tom Brady wrote about TB12 on his Instagram: “What started out as an idea 4 years ago, became a reality… and I am so proud of everyone at @tb12sports (a few not pictured) who have worked so hard and diligently to spread a great message of health and wellness. Thank you all for your great dedication. Hard work always pays off!!!”
TB12 started as a training center in Patriot Place in Foxboro where aspiring athletes could receive guidance from body coaches. It wasn’t long before it evolved into an entire brand of its own. Last May, Brady released a nutrition book as part of the system that included recipes for his and his wife, Gisele’s, favorite organic meals. In addition, the TB12 website now sells gluten-free, dairy-free, raw, organic, vegan snacks (YUM!?) as well as apparel, accessories, and work-out equipment such as mats and medicine balls.
Tom Brady on TB12 snacks on Facebook: “This is my go-to pre or post workout snack. Thank you everyone for the incredible support of these!
More recently, TB12 has teamed up with Under Armour for an official endorsement for “athlete recovery sleepwear.” This oh-so-special sleepwear supposedly promotes a better sleep, reduces inflammation, regulates metabolism and helps your body to recover faster. According to Brady, this sleepwear is an absolute “must” for his success as an athlete.
So, there you have it, folks: TB12, a method so expensive and extreme that you would probably question its validity and existence were it not founded by the man, the myth, the legend, Tom Brady. Brady wants young athletes to know that if they follow his regime of eating healthy, practicing injury-reducing workouts, and—of course—sleeping in $100 pajama pants, they, too, can be the next Tom Brady.
While the high price and unconventional nature of this method make its results seem rather dubious, there is no questioning Brady’s genuine passion for his brand. Brady is building his lifestyle brand with one admirable mission in mind: give athletes the opportunity to achieve and maintain their maximum potential. For Brady, this means following the practices that contributed to his own major success, through TB12. Whether or not the TB12 approach to life will foster the next generation of super-athletes, we can all learn a thing or two about successful branding from Brady’s candid, passionate presence on social media.