NFL’s New Brand Campaign: ‘This Is Football Country’

The NFL wants America and the world to know: This is football country.

The sports league and media juggernaut launched a new brand campaign on Friday, one designed to celebrate and unify around the game of football.

The debut spot ( you can watch it here ) features a number of cameos, including appearances by Jason Kelce (former Philadelphia Eagles star) and his wife Kylie Kelce; DeMarcus Lawrence (Dallas Cowboys); Stefon Diggs (Houston Texans); Myles Garrett (Cleveland Browns); Creator YouTube Destroying; Haley Van Voorhis (first female non-kicker to play in an NCAA football game); and flag football star Makena Cook.

According to NFL CMO Tim Ellis, the league wanted to “take the pulse of the nation” and embrace its role as a “unifier,” with football at the center of the effort.

“I think most people would agree that football is the last big tent in America and that we have the power to unite and bring people together on a massive scale, and that influence and power is both a gift and a responsibility. ” says Ellis The Hollywood Reporter in an interview. “I mean, we see ourselves as a cultural guiding light, which is very important at a very divisive time in our country, and especially this year as we head into a very contentious presidential election, our role as a unifier has not never been like that. important.”

As the season continues, the NFL will roll out other initiatives, such as its cause program and NFL Votes campaign, but Ellis says the overall theme “will be about bringing people together, really showcasing the joy of the game and how we all come together . together to play a role there.

“We have this kind of dual strategy, and part of that strategy is to communicate the joy of the game, and then the other part of the strategy is to transcend the game,” he adds.

That was one of the strategies behind the casting for the spot, which features real-life football players (both tackle and flag) interspersed with the likes of Kelce, who pokes fun at his new job as an analyst at ESPN. Monday night countdown.

“The Documentary (Prime Video). Kelce he’s been incredibly successful, and his wife, Kylie, who is, again, a great ambassador for football, and she brings a level of authenticity and human emotion that you just can’t get from an actor, right? these are real things, right?” says Ellis.

“We want to unite. We want to make sure that everyone who sees the place feels it and feels that football is truly for everyone,” adds Marissa Solis, senior VP of global brand and consumer marketing for the NFL. “So we are very careful to think about all aspects of football. Clearly, we want to showcase our biggest players, some of the biggest rivalries to come. That’s the joy of football, like I can’t wait to see, as an example here, the Texans play the Cowboys, so that’s part of it, but also how does it transcend the game?”

Ellis says the league has used a “helmet breach” strategy in recent years as part of an effort by the league to make fans more familiar with their players, who are protected by helmets while they play.

“We thought it was important to present the NFL in a more human, authentic way, so we embarked on this strategy to put a more human face on the NFL. And the key to that has been putting the players at the forefront of everything we do,” says Ellis. “Now over the years, that kind of extended not just to the NFL, but to football in general, so we’re really trying to continue to communicate that football is an inclusive sport … We have flag football. We have boys and girls, men and women, playing, enjoying the game.”

And the league is also betting that the campaign demonstrates its global ambitions. This year, the NFL will host games in Brazil, London and Munich, with plans to host a game in Madrid next year. The brand’s campaign features soccer players from around the world, including teams and players from Japan, Mexico, Brazil.

“What’s been really fascinating for us as marketers is that as we go around the world, we’re not the biggest property in those countries,” says Solis. “So to communicate the sport, we had to go to the foundation of what football expresses: the epicness of the game, the fact that the game elevates communities. This is a global message, right?

“And really, this strategy of taking off the helmet and making the league human, accessible, inclusive, is the key to making the sport global,” she adds. “So while yes, tactically we have to explain the sport, we have to educate what the sport is like and make sure people participate and engage with it at the same time, from a messaging point of view, it’s a lot about this. the sport is epic. This sport unites and this sport is for everyone.”

“Our role here at the NFL marketing team is to drive audience and drive engagement and fandom for the NFL,” adds Ellis. However, our most important role is to be true ambassadors for football. And so we’re not just thinking about pro football in the NFL. We think about football and what role it plays in our society and how it really brings people together. And so what you see in this place is a very authentic portrayal of soccer in America.”

“We’re constantly looking for these strong, authentic figures to incorporate into what we believe is a beautiful tapestry of this game in America,” he adds.

And, yes, it will also include encouraging Americans to participate in their civic duties through a get-out-the-vote campaign tied to the November election.

“Many of our players and legends were very happy and excited to play a part there. It’s a non-partisan effort and we see it as an opportunity for us as a very influential company to encourage people to exercise their rights, get out and vote,” says Ellis. “If there’s one thing we can agree on, it’s the importance of voting. It’s just another way we’re taking our role as a unifier to encourage people to come together as a nation and get out there and vote this year.”