Getting Ready for NHL Season

by erica ~ October 2, 2008

I recently became a New York Rangers fan, which has been pretty amusing so far since I admit to having very minimal knowledge about about the team and the sport of hockey in general.  I did, however, know that the NHL had some troubled times a few years ago. In order to steer fans away from its troubled past and keep the devotees excited about the future, the NHL is beginning to target fans everywhere by relaunching NHL.com.

Now that the 2008-09 ice hockey season is about to begin, so will the marketing campaigns. 

According to this article in Brandweek, the new NHL campaign aims to boost fans’ anticipation and hopes of the start of the hockey season. Unlike other organizations and companies that are diversifying through search marketing, email marketing, and social media marketing, the only plan on the NHL’s spend agenda is TV.   Television commercials will feature top players such as Sidney Crosby, the young star of the Pittsburgh Penguins; Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks; Henrik Lundqvist of the Rangers; and Dion Phaneuf of the Calgary Flames. 

From Brandweek:

One ad, for example, has a photo of Sidney Crosby as he walks out from the rink (where his team just lost the 2008 Stanley Cup finals) and the text reads: “He probably has another two decades to win a Cup. But don’t tell him that.” Brian Jennings, evp-marketing at the NHL, New York says, “We’re communicating this idea of possibilities in a very compelling and creative way, by capturing a single moment from last season and having our players use that moment to express their thoughts and hopes for the upcoming year.”

All in all, I think it’s a good way to get fans excited about the new season (especially those who are fans of the featured players who don’t want to see their team lose again). I’m surprised that they are only using TV spots but I’m happy that we won’t be bombarded with unnecessary emails and pop-ups….

Let’s Go Rangers!