While basketball players are usually associated with playing in the paint, eight top MLB athletes do their best imitations of abstract expressionists like Jackson Pollock in a new campaign for longtime MLB jersey rights holder Majestic Athletic.
In the latest iteration of the VF Corp. brand’s “My Team/My Colors” campaign, eight players — Noah Syndergaard, Gary Sanchez, Kevin Pillar, Nolan Arenado, Francisco Lindor, Joc Pederson, Giancarlo Stanton and Kyle Schwarber — were paired with eight fans over four January days in an East Los Angeles warehouse and asked to paint 8-by-12-foot murals. The fans employed the usual tools of a painter: brushes, rollers, spray cans and buckets of acrylic paint.
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Franciso Lindor (above) and fellow major leaguers Noah Syndergaard and Giancarlo Stanton (below) were among the players creating murals with fans to be auctioned for charity.
Photos by: MAJESTIC ATHLETIC
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Players were asked to use their standard tools. Accordingly, Mets pitcher Syndergaard “paints the corners” without fear of an umpire’s interpretation by throwing baseballs dripping with Mets blue stain against a canvas. Position players like Sanchez, the New York Yankees catcher, swing paint-loaded bats at canvasses. The intent is a multi-hued mixture of sports and culture designed to underscore Majestic’s on-field jersey colors.
“They got really competitive about it,” said David Goerke, vice president of marketing for VF. “This campaign still centers on color, but it’s a way to express color through art, fashion and music, wrapped in a unique story. Lots of brands try that sports and lifestyle mix, but I’m confident that we pulled it off.”
The signed murals and paint-splattered jerseys will be auctioned for the players’ favorite charities.
Along with Majestic’s authentic MLB uniforms, its new pregame batting practice jersey and its MLB tech fleece are featured.
The ad concept was crafted in-house by Majestic, while agency Tool, Santa Monica, Calif., assisted in the production work. Goerke said the digital, social and TV campaign will be teased during spring training and fully released for the opening of the MLB season on April 2. Retailer-specific versions, along with marketing support via Majestic’s MLB team sponsorships, are also slated.
