Social identity
Sports fans are highly engaged viewers – and this is especially true for live broadcasts. But when it comes to major sporting events, even those who normally don’t enjoy sports can’t take their eyes off the screen. During a major sporting event, such as the current World Ice Hockey Championship, the whole nation becomes a sports fan. Watching sport in large numbers creates a sense of community – and this group experience tends to be a unique experience that fulfils a deep-seated human need for belonging.
This is demonstrated by the results of DirectTV’s sports viewership survey. According to the survey, 84% of sports viewers surveyed admitted watching live sports with family members or friends every week. Of those, 73% engage in the activity for social interaction, 72% for good food and drink, and 57% to share the excitement with other fans. Interestingly, 25% of sports viewers choose to watch sports away from home for various reasons.
Live is the best
Even those viewers who usually prefer streaming tend to watch important sports broadcasts as they happen. Who wants to watch such an important event when it is on Netflix in a few months? Nope, people want it live! For brands that want the security of a large audience, there are few opportunities like live sports. Moreover, fan loyalty can translate into brand loyalty. All sorts of companies therefore invest a fortune to become the official beer, the official insurance company, or even the official accounting software of the home or national team.
On the wave of sport
Sporting events are an integral part of world culture, and in America, this is doubly true. From the winter Super Bowl Sunday to the summer WNBA finals, live sports broadcasts are a surefire way to bring people to their TVs, laptops, and other streaming devices to watch the action – and, of course, the advertisements.
To get the most viewers, the NHL itself has to summon up its strength through advertising. The NHL kicked off the 2023-24 season with a new spot as part of its creative campaign “The Next Golden Era Is Now”. The spot entitled “Is Hockey somehow getting even better?“ and made in partnership with creative agency Highdive features young stars Jack Hughes, Cale Makar, Connor McDavid, and Matthew Tkachuk, light-hearted moments from Johnny Gaudreau, David Pastrňák, Igor Shesterkin and Auston Matthews, and exuberant game presentations and fan celebrations throughout the National Hockey League.
Video: NHL: Is Hockey somehow getting even better?
The TV shows that generate the most viewers will always be the most desirable for advertisers. However, big brands are usually the winners in this space because they can afford the high advertising costs that broadcasters charge for these high-profile spots.
Hockey is popular worldwide
Hockey fascinates spectators with its incredible speed and dynamism, raising the adrenaline level in the blood. The physically demanding game and the frequent on-ice fights add to the drama – every game is full of thrilling moments, from brilliant passes and shots to dramatic goaltending. International tournaments such as the World Cup or the Winter Olympics attract the attention of millions of people who cheer on their national teams. Of course, club competitions such as the NHL and KHL also offer quality hockey and great spectacle.
Ice hockey is traditionally the most popular sport in countries such as Canada, the USA, Russia, and Sweden, but it has also found a privileged place in the limelight in countries with no abundance of snow and ice, such as the Czech Republic.
World hockey players in advertising
Becoming a hockey player is a dream of many children and top hockey players are real celebrities, so they often appear in TV commercials. As well as dominating on the ice, they use their popularity to promote various brands and products, becoming unmissable icons in the world of sports marketing.
Wayne Gretzky
The hockey stars of the TV spots undoubtedly include Canadian hockey player and later coach and club owner Wayne Gretzky, also known as “The Great One”, who has been on skates almost continuously since the age of 4 and grew into the best hockey player of all time. The player with the number 99 on his back was honoured while still an active player and his number was forever banned from other players. He has been featured in various television spots since the early 1980s. Worth noting from this era is a spot for 7-UP:
Video: 7-UP Wayne & Keith Gretzky (1981)
Gretzky was in the catering business for quite a long time. He used to deliver pizza or competed with another centre on the ice to see who would buy lunch at McDonald’s for the winner.
Sidney Crosby
Even before the NHL draft, he was considered one of the greatest talents in history. At the 2010 Winter Olympics, he won an Olympic gold medal with Team Canada when he decided the final game against the USA in overtime. He has won numerous individual awards during his time in the NHL. However, Crosby’s enduring popularity is also a result of his carefully constructed image that never detracts from his excellence at the game.
He has become the face of many brands and although his personality alone would certainly be enough to promote the product, Tim Hortons decided to secure the success of the commercial by adding another top hockey player, cute kids, and even cuter puppies to Crosby’s lineup:
Video: Tim Hortons – Sidney Crosby
In addition, Crosby regularly sipped Gatorade ionic drinks on the ice, wore Reebok sportswear, and dumbfounded children and adults in SportsCheck shop.
Henrik Lundqvist
The former Swedish goaltender and longtime New York Rangers player has dedicated 30 years of his life to hockey. In 2021, he had to say goodbye to his beloved hockey after heart surgery. So we don’t see him on the ice anymore, but we can always watch one of the ads, like the one that reveals the secret of his beautiful hair:
Video: Head & Shoulders – Henrik Lundqvist
Branko Radivojevič
Agencies and advertisers in Slovakia also rely on hockey players. The proof is the new advertising of Slovak Telekom. Unlike the foreign examples mentioned above, the focus of the impressive spot featuring the former Slovak hockey forward is not on drinks, food, clothes, or shoes – it’s on the family. The author of the successful ad is MUW Saatchi &Saatchi:
Video: Telekom – Branko Radivojevič
World’s Best Hockey Advertisements
Advertisements using hockey themes have been appearing for decades. Let’s take a look at a few that stood out – whether for their humour, poignancy, or simply for being different…
These include a truly action-packed Nike ad. This 2000 spot with Markus Naslund and Ilya Kovalchuk was one of the brand’s best. Two hockey stars decide that when the puck leaves the ice, it doesn’t mean the game has to stop. They skate through the streets, the kitchen, and the hotel – and then the action on the ice can start again.
Video: Nike – Don’t Fence Me In
The Lays ad is definitely one of the standout pieces. The catchphrase “Betcha Can’t Eat Just One” has stuck with the Lays brand for many years. For a long time, the top face of the campaign was Canadian hockey player Mark Messier.
Video: Lays – Mark Messier Betcha Can’t Eat Just One
We will close our selection of foreign hockey advertisements with one that really worked for Dunkin Donuts. Inside The Bubble with Dunkin was created by BBDO New York, along with production partners Hornet. They say hockey players need to keep their eyes peeled to navigate the fast pace of the game. In this case, more than 20 heads were needed, as the production team had to painstakingly create nearly two dozen different, hand-painted heads for the characters of Pastrňák and Oshie that brought to life the personal characteristics and facial expressions of each player. The characters also speak with the voices of David Pastrňák and T.J. Oshie.
Sources: thehockeynews.com, soundofhockey.com, digitalmarketingcompany.com
