VF’s Majestic Athletic licensed sports apparel brand will debut a TV ad supporting the launch of its MLB batting practice jersey. The longtime rights holder for authentic MLB jerseys is using players for the first time in the ad, which will air on MLB Network, MLB rights holders ESPN and TBS, and various RSNs carrying MLB games. Michael Johnson, Marketing VP at VF’s Licensed Sports Group, said it was his company’s largest-ever marketing campaign. The ad was filmed in January at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington to back the launch of Majestic's batting practice jersey. The ad will run through May. In the spot, Rangers CF and AL MVP Josh Hamilton watches a portly fan struggle to hit a home run at batting practice. When the fan claims the problem is that his BP jersey is broken, Hamilton shows that his is not by depositing a ball into the seats. Waylon Advertising, St. Louis, is the ad agency. The new batting practice jersey is said to be Majestic’s lightest batting practice jersey yet. Along with a new full-button front, it carries the same $100 price point as its predecessor.
