Just Salad, the fast-casual restaurant chain committed to making everyday health and sustainability possible, launched its first creative campaign with Jalen Brunson, point guard for the New York Knicks and 2026 NBA Champion and Finals MVP. Built on the creative platform “New York Always Knew,” the campaign puts two New York fandoms side by side — the guests who knew Just Salad was onto something back when it was a single storefront, and the fans who knew Brunson was something special well before everyone else caught on.
“We were doubted a lot, and for a long time. We didn’t get much attention and some people thought we weren’t cool enough,” said Nick Kenner, Founder and CEO of Just Salad. “But we kept our heads down and focused on making the product and the experience better every single day. That grit and focus on substance and winning is what aligns us with Jalen; his fans never needed convincing either. This campaign is about those shared values.”
Just Salad opened its first restaurant in 2006 with a reusable bowl program already in place, years before that kind of sustainability commitment was common in restaurants, and has grown to more than 125 locations largely on the strength of guests who say they knew the brand was different long before the concept of fast casual salad became a category. That same instinct — spotting the real thing early — is the throughline the campaign asks Brunson’s fans to recognize in him.
The centerpiece is a documentary-style CTV spot that pairs Brunson’s own story with real fan testimonials, shot to feel like New York telling its own story rather than a traditional endorsement.
“What I like about this campaign is that it feels true to how this partnership came together. I was already a fan of Just Salad, and being able to build something with a New York brand I genuinely believe in makes this really meaningful to me,” said Jalen Brunson, 2026 NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP and Captain of the New York Knicks. “New York fans can tell when something is authentic, and I think this captures that.”
That fandom plays out differently by market. Across New York City and Long Island, outdoor creative carries the line “Real New Yorkers Know” — a nod to the fans who were paying attention early. In New Jersey and Connecticut, the same spirit shows up as “We Always Knew,” extending that sense of ownership to the fans across the wider tri-state footprint who claim both Brunson and Just Salad just as fiercely.
“Just Salad fans have believed in this brand since long before we had 125 locations to point to,” said Jen Lally, Chief Marketing Officer of Just Salad. “Jalen’s fans have that same instinct — the pride of recognizing greatness before everyone else caught on. New York is the heart of this campaign, but that feeling of seeing something special early, and knowing you were part of it from the start, is universal.”
As the long-term partnership develops, Brunson is expected to engage with Just Salad’s leadership and culinary teams, visit restaurants, connect with guests and bring his perspective into the business over time.
