Versus Breaks New "We Are All Fans" NHL Marketing Campaign

By Tripp Mickle, Staff Writer, SportsBusiness Journal

Watch Versus' "Anthem" Spot

When the first puck drops on the '09-10 NHL season, Versus will unveil a new marketing campaign built around the tagline “We are all fans.” The campaign, which will manifest itself in unique advertising spots all season, emphasizes the cultish passion of fans and players for the sport. The first spot in the campaign, “Opening Night,” breaks the TV screen into three panels that shift to reveal different fans and players talking about their passion for the NHL. The same concept will be used in spots called “Anthem,” “Superstitions” and “Rivalries.” In the spot called “Anthem,” a fan with a beard says, “We expect a lot from our guys,” and the panels shift to reveal Blue Jackets LW Rick Nash saying, “I’m no superhero, but I can do some damage.” Versus Senior VP/Marketing Bill Bergofin said, “We wanted a campaign that was approachable and inclusive. Hockey fans are very cultish. We really wanted to celebrate that and invite them into the tent of hockey.” The spots were developed by the production company Hungry Man, which did the Ally Bank “Pony” commercial. After the initial four spots air, Versus plans to make the campaign more topical and tie it to ongoing events in the season. Bergofin said, “I don't think we're done. We're going to have some fun with it.”