Non-profit The Get REAL Movement, a university focused organization committed to championing the 2SLGBTQ+, teamed up with agency VML Canada to leverage spiking hockey interest around the NHL playoffs with a multi-platform, collectible card led cause campaign raising awareness of the lack of representation in the league which spanned digital, social, NFTs and PR.
Objective
The aim of the initiative was to leverage increased hockey interest around the NHL playoffs to raise awareness of the lack of 2SLGBTQ+ representation in the league, to foster a culture of support and inclusivity and to act as a catalyst for the first openly 2SLGBTQ+ identified player to make an NHL debut.
Activation
The agency team’s idea for the campaign was built upon the fact that no player ever in the NHL’s 107-year history has ever come out as the league’s first openly 2SLGBTQ+ player.
A rare situation in North American sport: after all, the other so called ‘Big Four’ sports leagues – the MLB, NBA and NFL – have all had players identifying as 2SLGBTQ+.
It was also informed by the insight that, in the collectibles world, rarity is what gives sports cards value. In fact, earlier in 2024 an unopened case of hockey cards sold at auction for $5m largely due to the fact that it was likely to contain several extremely rare Wayne Gretzky rookie cards.
So the agency chose to blend these two hockey rarities into a cause campaign.
Launched on National Hockey Card Day, 13 April, the Get REAL Movement – a Canadian charity with chapters across the country’s universities dedicated to combating 2SLGBTQ+ discrimination, racism and bullying – released what it described as the ‘Rarest Rookie Card’: an incomplete hockey card for an unidentifiable player.
Written on the card is: ‘Rarest Rookie Card’ – with the two O’s in ‘rookie’ used to create interlocking male icons (a symbol representing homosexuality).
The digital card reimagines the usual features found on other specialty hockey cards: such as embossed player details and a set of game-related career statistics which were all left blank. The card also had a metallic ink finish which provides a rainbow shimmer when tilted towards the light – evoking the colours of Pride.
The card was introduced on owned platforms, through earned media and it was also featured on the Steve Dangle Podcast (one of Canada’s most popular sports podcasts).
This initial single card, was then followed by the launch of 107 digital collectable NFT cards on the marketplace OpenSea: with the proceeds of each card’s sale going to the organisation to support its mission of creating safe spaces in sports for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
The card launch is accompanied by a new ‘Sports & Recreation DEI Workshop’ backed by educational resources from the organization. These outline both the reasons for hockey’s lack of inclusion and provide tools for players, coaches and leagues that equip them with the actions they can take to create more welcoming spaces at all levels of hockey.
Executions also seek to drive people online to find out more information, along with links to bid on a card or donate at RarestRookie.com.
The digital-first campaign was spearheaded by a hero spot, with supporting social executions backed by PR support.
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The campaign’s long term plan is to replace the faceless player on each card once the unidentified player makes his NHL debut – which the organisation hopes will be sooner rather than later.
“The culture of professional hockey needs to change. We want to see a game where everyone feels welcome: on the ice, in the dressing room and as fans in the stands.”
Get REAL Movement Executive Director Marley Bowen
“We love the game of hockey and believe strongly in the power of representation. The more people who see themselves in the game, the richer the game becomes.”
VML Canada creative director Jeremy Lenz
The NHL is the last of the ‘Big Four’ professional sports leagues to count an openly 2SLGBTQ+ player among its ranks, trailing behind the MLB, NFL and NBA. In 2021, Nashville Predators prospect Luke Prokop broke barriers when he became the first openly gay player under NHL contract, but he has yet to make his NHL debut.
With origins dating back to a 2011 small student project at Western University, Get REAL is a non-profit championing the 2SLGBTQ+ university community and its work and services range from workshops (designed to break down prejudice and promote compassion), after school programmes (aimed at empower 2SLGBTQ+ youth through mentorship and community), plus events, campaigns, PR and lobbying.
This is the second Get REAL Movement / VML Canada campaign attempting to change hockey culture in the past year. A previous, petition led initiative called ‘Keep Pride In The Game’ was launched in response to the league’s ban on Pride jerseys in 2023.