Introduced to the world during the 2002 World Series, the BamBams inflatable noisemaker resurfaced this weekend in the hands of Zendaya and across national headlines. Nearly 25 years later, the branding power is exactly the same.
This past weekend, global style icon and award-winning actress Zendaya was photographed in the stands at the WNBA Finals holding a pair of branded BamBams inflatable noisemakers. Within hours, the images appeared in USA Today, Yahoo Sports, Vogue, Cosmopolitan and other national outlets, placing a decades-old promotional product back in front of millions. The appearance came nearly 25 years to the day after BamBams were introduced to the world at the 2002 World Series.
The timing is fitting. This week, the Milwaukee Brewers captured the 2026 World Series, closing out another Fall Classic almost a quarter-century after a sea of red BamBams filled the stands as the Anaheim Angels marched to the 2002 title. From one World Series to the next, the simple inflatable noisemaker has never left the spotlight.
In the nearly 25 years since that debut, BamBams have been used by teams in nearly every professional sports association and have been spotted at arenas and fields across the country, from Major League ballparks to WNBA arenas.
“The product has barely changed, and neither has its impact. From the bleachers of a 2002 World Series to the pages of Vogue, one of the simplest promotional products ever made is still earning millions of impressions. That is branding power that outlasts the trend cycle.”
Rachel Wolford, Marketing Manager at BamBams
The moment underscores a principle at the heart of the promotional products industry: a well-chosen branded item can deliver brand exposure for years, even decades, at a fraction of the cost of traditional advertising. A single logo on a BamBam, waved in a crowded arena or caught in a celebrity’s hands, can reach audiences no media buy could guarantee.
