Bank Of America (BoA), the official bank of Major League Baseball, launched a new campaign heralding the start of professional baseball’s truncated 60-game season introducing its new ‘Let’s Rally’ programme run with the Boys & Girls Clubs of America which aims to give back to local communities.
The cause campaign, developed with GroupeConnect (the bank’s dedicated agency team at Publicis) celebrates the comeback of both baseball and the nation and leverages the idea of unity and coming together around unique in-game moments to ‘help fuel rallies everywhere’ through donations and fund raising.
The Charlotte (North Carolina) based bank’s initiative is spearheaded by an emotional, yet celebratory cause commercial launched running on television, online and across its social channels.
Bank of America debuted the 30-second spot on Thursday 23 July during the Open Game telecast as the defending World Series champion Washington Nationals took on perennial favourites the New York Yankees.
Set to Willie Nelson’s ‘Always On My Mind’, the commercial used drones to shoot footage the opening footage of empty baseball stadiums around the country and ground staff getting the fields ready for players while a voiceover says: “A setback? Well that’s just a comeback you haven’t met yet.”
The spot and supporting social content also seeks to drive viewers to the initiative’s online hub at http://mlb.com/bankofamericaletsrally which not only curates videos of the best comeback rallies in baseball, but also highlights the bank’s commitment to donate $10,000 (up to $1m) to Boys & Girls Clubs of America any time an MLB team rallies from 2 or more runs behind after the 7th inning to win.
Fans can also join the rally themselves by purchasing one of the campaign’s player-inspired MLB t-shirts (created in collaboration with a player from each of the 30 MLB teams just for Bank Of America customers) and for each shirt purchased a donation of $7 will be made to Boys & Girl Clubs of America to support children across our local communities (up to $200,000).
“It’s been such a difficult year for our country,” said Bank of America Chief Marketing Officer Meredith Verdone, who notes that baseball’s return offers people a bit of normalcy.
“Even though the fans won’t be there, there’s something about it, people aching to come together and it gives them some hope,” she added.
Comment:
Batter up…finally!
The original 162-game schedule was meant to start on X, but the pandemic-delayed 2020 MLB season finally began 119 days late in the last week of July and will last just 60 games.
Despite the postponement, the disagreements between owners and players, the truncated schedule and the ongoing COVID-19 concerns, brands (from official sponsors to ambushers, TV advertisers and sports companies) are still hoping for a home run.
One of the most moving and unforgettable elements of pretty much any sports is a come from behind win and this insight lies at the core of Bank of America’s latest programme leveraging its MLB sponsorship (which began in 2004) in particular and its long-standing association with baseball (which dates back over 140 years when the company sponsored employee baseball teams).
As well as Bank Of America’s initiative, other notable baseball campaigns launched for Opening Weekend include Bud Light’s commercial and contest campaign celebrating baseball’s return and an interesting #FrankItForward initiative from hot dog brand Ball Park to support currently out-of-work stadium vendors.
Bud Light, the MLB’s official beer, tapped Wieden+Kennedy NY and FCB on two new spots leveraging the start of the baseball season led by an ad which adds a new at-home twist on the classic baseball game song ‘Take Me Out to the Ball Game’ (whenever there’s a game to watch, there’s a Bud Light there).
The spot is amplified through a celebrity partnership strand with stars such as Kelly Rowland and George Lopez.
As well as the brand’s Opening Night post,
MLB’s official beer also launched a ‘Bud Light Homers’ contest, promoted across its social channels, which offers fans a chance to win an authentic 2020 home run ball by tweeting #BudLightHomers and #Sweepstakes and tagging their favourite team.
While fans are at home, Bud Light stepped up to the plate to bring the game as close to the fans as they can, so this year Bud Light is taking home run balls out of the park and into fans’ hands at home. Through the social sweepstakes, every time a home run is hit, fans can tweet using the hashtag #BudLightHomers, and be selected to win a home run ball from a game.
According to Zoomph’s MLB Opening Weekend Report. Bud Light’s #BudLightHomers campaign was the top performing baseball-themed social media campaign over Opening Weekend generated 17,025 posts and 6,877,648 impressions with a total of 48,960 engagements which gained the brand over $110K in social media value over the weekend.
FIRST HOME RUN OF THE YEAR! Remember to tag your favorite team with #BudLightHomers and #Sweepstakes for your chance to win an authentic 2020 Home Run Ball! #OpeningNight pic.twitter.com/s8HUGxfQup
— Bud Light (@budlight) July 23, 2020
While iconic, baseball-related hot dog brand Ball Park launched a campaign to support stadium vendors who have been out of work called #FrankItForward which asks consumers to post videos or photos of their most precious baseball memories (from Opening Weekend to 7 September) while the brand will donate money to vendors for each consumer post.
Links:
Bank Of America/MLB Let’s Rally
www.mlb.com/bankofamericaletsrally.
Bank Of America
https://www.bankofamerica.com/
https://www.youtube.com/user/bankofamerica
https://www.facebook.com/BankofAmerica
https://www.instagram.com/bankofamerica
Major League Baseball (MLB)
http://mlb.mlb.com/mobile/atbat
http://mlb.mlb.com/mobile/attheballpark
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/fantasy/hr_der
https://www.youtube.com/user/MLB
GroupeConnect (Publicis)
https://www.groupeconnect.com/
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