NFL and college football broadcast partner ESPN’s ‘Postseasoning’ initiative set out to cook up some marketing that matches the intensity of playoff games and so the Disney owned sports broadcaster offered football fans watching games on TV something to elevate their game food in the form of a special spice brand called ‘Postseasoning’.
With the grid iron stakes raised during the postseason, the fan experience is also heightened and so to match the sport’s intensity ESPN created its very own bespoke zesty and intense seasoning mix of salt, onion, gochugaru (Korean chili powder), garlic paprika, black pepper and cayenne to add extra oomph to at-home tailgating steaks, briskets, mac’n’cheese and even cereal.
The tongue-in-cheek custom culinary promotion was amplified through an integrated, socially-led campaign led by a hero ‘Postseasoning: Football on ESPN’ video posted on 7 January across its own channels and which urges fans to “Celebrate every touchdown with a mouth touchdown (not recommended for fans of teams under .500.)”.
Postseasoning was not actually available for sale, but 10,000 bottles of the blend are being given out at postseason games for the remainder of the football calendar year.
ESPN launch the campaign immediately ahead of the 2022 College Football Playoff National Championship on 11 January in Indianapolis between the Alabama Crimson Tide and the Georgia Bulldogs where fans could pick up a bottle at ESPN’s Playoff Fan Central at the Downtown Indianapolis Convention Center between 8 and 10 January.
ESPN also sent out custom Postseasoning boxes to fans and foodies across the country, as well as partnering with James Beard Award-winning pitmaster Rodney Scott who provided recipes and tips for the best ways to use the spice blend.
The initiative also includes a microsite with Postseasoning recipes: including “Rodney Scott’s Victory Rack,” “Hail-Mary Deviled Eggs,” “MVP (Most Valuable Pimento)” and “Taters Gonna Tate Potato Salad.”
The campaign was created by Richmond (Virginia) independent agency Arts & Letters Creative Co.
“Serving fans is what drives us, and Postseasoning is an unexpected but truthful way to tap into our mission,” said ESPN Senior Director of Sports Marketing Curtis Friends. “The football postseason is when everything is elevated, so it made sense for ESPN to help people elevate their fandom in one of its most powerful expressions: food.”
The initiative was created for an ESPN marketing team led by EVP Of Commercial Marketing For Networks and ESPN Laura Gentile, Vice President of Sports Marketing Emeka Ofodile, Senior Director Of Sports Marketing Curtis Friends, Associate Director Of Sports Marketing Margaret Davis, Managers (Sports Marketing) Alexa Dettelbach and Lauren Gorajek, Associate Manager (Sports Marketing) Willi Anderson and Coordinators (Sports Marketing) Leah Jones and Nidhi Bhagat.
It was devised and developed by a group at agency Arts & Letters Creative Co which included Executive Creative Director Charles Hodges, Creative Directors Molly Jamison and NJ Placentra, Creatives Brendan Howard and Sam Christian, Director of Production Temma Shoaf, Executive Producer Calleen Colburn, Producer Zack Sabin, Managing Director Rich Weinstein, Group Business Director Brenda Schneider, Business Director Hill Shore, Business Manager Martin Madriaga, Director of Strategy Andy Grayson, Strategy Director Alex Morrison, Strategist Nana Dadzie, Director of Business Affairs: Lenora Cushing, Business Affairs Assistant Jennifer Kmetzsch, Music Supervisor Cam DiNunzio and Group Manager Tom Anesta.
Arts & Letters Creative Co. XYZ also handled production and editorial with Executive Producer Whitney Green, Director Geoff Castillo, Senior Producer Libbie Crane, Editor Ben Surber, Animator Jason Quarles, Executive Producer Whitney Green, Producer Rob Rosko and Technical Director Micah Berry.
The Colorist/Conform Artist was Matt Doe, while audio was handled by Overcoast Music with Audio Engineer Matt Whitworth and Executive Producer JL Hodges.
Comment
This initiative reminds us of some previous left-field object led sports and sponsor marketing initiatives such as Kia’s ‘NBA Team Scented Automotive Air Fresheners‘ (2017), and NFL wine partner Babe’s ‘Football Scented Candles’.
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