Leveraging the 7 September start of the 2017/17 NFL season, shirt supplier Nike launched a new multi-platform campaign, called ‘Who You With’, fronted by a set of stars from sport, music and fashion.
The ‘Who You With?’ initiative, which aims to leverage football passion and hype-up the brand’s NFL links around the new season kick-off, revolves around the idea that every jersey tells a story.
The spearhead launch video emphasises that the jersey isn’t simply part of an NFL uniform, but argues that it is a marker of cultural significance to a city.
The idea is that wearing a jersey is akin to making a statement about who and what you represent.
Thus the ads carry the copyline: “Player, city, or squad. When kickoff comes around, tell ‘em #WhoYouWith”
In an attempt to broaden its reach beyond sport, to reflect the NFL’s status as America’s most popular league and to build upon the idea that wearing a jersey is more than just a simple show of team support, the creative not only features football icons and star athletes, but also fashion pioneers, and rappers who all represent their city and their team.
Endorsers featuring in the multi-platform initiative range from current stars like Odell Beckham Jr, NFL legends such as Lawrence Taylor, plus other athletes like BMX star Nigel Sylvester, alongside figures from the worlds of fashion and culture including Joe Fresh Goods and Alexis Mackenzie, as well as musicians Schoolboy Q, Vince Staples, Earthgang and Denzel Curry.
The campaign is led by a core, collective ‘Who You With’ spot,
supported by individual jersey executions fronted by pairs of stars linked to a team, a city and/or an idea – such as:
Odell Beckham x Lawrence Taylor
Entrepreneur and idealist Joe Fresh Goods x Gale Sayers
Other pairings include:
Nigel Sylvester x Joe Namath
Earthgang x Jamal Anderson
Alexis Mackenzie x Ladainian Tomlinson
Vince Staples x Aaron Donald
Denzel Curry x Jarvis Landry
The videos are backed by plenty of supporting digital and social content pieces across Nike Football channels such as Facebook,
Instagram,
and Twitter.
Player, city, or squad.
When kickoff comes around, tell 'em #WhoYouWithhttps://t.co/IhwbEt7PTg pic.twitter.com/Xy6GfXkX4V
— Nike Football (@usnikefootball) August 24, 2017
Still with the A. Since Day 1. #WhoYouWith @AtlantaFalcons @usnikefootball pic.twitter.com/cCBGYECltr
— Vic Beasley (@VicBeasley3) August 26, 2017
No matter who you support, the love of the game lives in the cloth on your back.
Show the world #WhoYouWithhttps://t.co/IhwbEt7PTg pic.twitter.com/YFpZ9QfXok
— Nike Football (@usnikefootball) September 5, 2017
channeling my inner Joe Namath for the new @usnikefootball Jersey campaign. #WhoYouWith @nyjets pic.twitter.com/q2p8Gt5Nqs
— NIGEL SYLVESTER (@NigelSylvester) September 5, 2017
Two more days. #WhoYouWith ? #TeamNike pic.twitter.com/Dl8iEu7M0k
— Vince Staples (@vincestaples) September 5, 2017
We with the @miamidolphins in CC – "ULT" #WhoYouWith @usnikefootball #teamnike pic.twitter.com/fDPC1KVip6
— ULT (@RavenxMiyagi) September 5, 2017
Love my @Chargers! #WhoYouWith @usnikefootball #TeamNike pic.twitter.com/GKTaIFFtkm
— lex (@ughlexis) September 5, 2017
While all campaign assets aim to drive consumers to purchase ‘official NFL licensed gear, including your favorite jersey’ directly from Nike and select retailers.
Comment:
Market watchers expect the NFL to generate $14bn through the new 2017/18 season.
Despite its current challenges – from dropping ratings, racial protests and the ongoing head injury scandal – the NFL remains by far the biggest sports league in the US and one that engages almost every demographic segment (from age and gender, to ethnicity and economics).
The fact that it is one of the few current pillars of US society that brings the majority of Americans together and unites them, is all the more reason for Nike to link its kit supplier relationship to other aspects of culture like music and fashion.
The sportswear behemoth says that this is its biggest NFL marketing campaign since it regaining official NFL on-field and jersey rights in 2012.
We like the thinking and the pairings, although can’t help but wonder whether are creative echoes here of the original 2003 colour-driven Apple iPod silhouette ads.
Links:
Nike:
https://www.youtube.com/user/usnikefootball/videos
https://twitter.com/usnikefootball
https://www.facebook.com/usnikefootball
https://www.instagram.com/usnikefootball/
https://www.nike.com/us/en_gb/c/football
NFL
http://www.nflshop.com/source/bm-nflc…
http://www.nfl.com/fantasyfootball
https://www.nfl.com/gamepass?campaign…
https://www.youtube.com/user/NFL
http://www.youtube.com/nflnetwork
http://www.youtube.com/nflfilms
