NHL Uses Biggest Stars To Market Game
03/10/2008 05:01
The NHL doesn't want to rely on anyone else to convey a message to its fans.
The league's marketers are constantly trying to directly engage the 53 million people that research shows are supporters of the NHL. Its approach can be seen in the increased digital content available on the NHL's revamped website and in its new national marketing campaign.
"We have to work hard every day to earn their trust," said Brian Jennings, the NHL's executive vice-president of marketing. "Us in the marketing department feel an obligation to be the voice of the fans inside the walls of the National Hockey League."
The newest ad campaign - dubbed "Is This The Year?" - reflects that.
Sidney Crosby, Dion Phaneuf, Patrick Kane and Henrik Lundqvist are all featured in their own TV spots as part of the campaign. In each one, the player emerges from a still image taken last season and talks about what will be driving him this year.
The most compelling is the one featuring Crosby, where he steps out from a photo taken at the Penguins bench right after they lost the final game of the Stanley Cup. In the ad, Crosby says he never wants to be in that photograph again but knows the experience will make his team stronger this season.
It's a feeling fans in Pittsburgh know well.
More from Canadian Press.
SWIVEL HIPS SAYS:
The NHL knows how to market itself. Too bad the CFL couldn’t take lessons from the NFL and the NHL about how to market it’s product. CFL marketing is really quite pathetic.