The A's on Saturday unveiled their new "Rooted In Oakland" ad campaign with a series of TV spots that
emphasize the club's commitment to building a new ballpark in Oakland. The ads, created in conjunction with Hub Strategy & Communication, S.F., were shot in Oakland.
Visit the A's website to view all five spots: "Mayor Melvin," "Elephant Country," "Out For Run," "BART Training Camp" and "Fireworks Dreams" (
A's). In San Jose, Carl Steward wrote the campaign begins to "drive home the point that the A's are staying home." The team has "finally and fully embraced its home market under the aggressive, energetic direction" of new President Dave Kaval, and "not just at the Coliseum for a change." The "rebooted ad campaign effectively expands the boundaries." The "objective was clear: show off Oakland." Featured in the ads are Ps Sean Doolittle, Sonny Gray and Kendall Graveman, C Stephen Vogt and SS Marcus Semien. The A's also "received the cooperation" of Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf to "appear in two commercials." A's VP/Marketing & Sales Jim Leahey said, "The organization has a good opportunity to get a lot of mind-share in Oakland and the surrounding areas." Steward noted Oakland residents as part of the campaign will see "plenty of green and gold around town -- a flood of billboards, 122 light pole banners and an 80-foot mural on the side of a building." There are "several different sub-themes that will be displayed on the various banners." One denotes, "We Never Give Up, Unless It's A Seat On BART, Because We're Gentlemen" (
MERCURYNEWS.com, 3/18).
