It’s been 30 years since the WWE held a pay-per-view show at a stadium in the United Kingdom. Still, the legacy of that 1992 SummerSlam has outlasted its pomp and pageantry. Three of that event’s four headliners–Randy “Macho Man” Savage, the Ultimate Warrior and “British Bulldog” Davey Boy Smith–are now deceased. The venue itself, London’s…
When Chris Evert wasn’t calling matches for ESPN during last year’s US Open, she was on screen pitching sub sandwiches for Jersey Mike’s. For the United States Tennis Association’s charitable foundation, there’s tremendous value in each of their chairperson’s contributions. Evert won 18 Grand Slam titles between 1974 and 1986, including six out of eight…
When a brand has been around for nearly a century, what else is there to do? For Keith Dawkins and the Harlem Globetrotters, the answer is more. The basketball exhibition team has relied on its famous live shows since its birth in 1926, but is now looking for new ways to reach consumers. The Globetrotters…
Participation in youth football has been on the decline for more than a decade as parents concerned about concussions and other injuries have steered their kids toward other sports. The NFL is looking to renew interest with a “Play Football” campaign from 72andSunny starring Super Bowl-winning former quarterbacks Peyton and Eli Manning. The effort aims…
True icons are rarely defined by a single moment. This is especially the case for Serena Williams, who has changed the game of tennis so thoroughly over nearly three decades that she is considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. Beyond that, her visibility and perseverance has inspired generations of women and girls…
With the upcoming racing season marking its 75th anniversary, Nascar is both celebrating its past with a new throwback logo and innovating for the future. Racing fans will find a lot to appreciate amid the design elements of the new logo. The overall oval shape is reminiscent of a racetrack and was inspired by the…
The US Open showcases tennis’ brightest stars on its hard courts. But some of the event’s biggest names and longest-tenured veterans paid for their spot on the grounds. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing embraces its legacy as a former World’s Fair site by bringing some of…
A brand doesn’t need an ad or sponsorship to prove its worth. Sometimes, it just needs a story. Creative agency Observatory had a proposition for Nike in 2021: Why not build an entertainment studio focusing on sports and culture? Instead of trying to wedge diverse, relevant stories into 30-second ads selling products, why not make…
Two acronyms have been major trends in the world of sports marketing this past year: name, image and likeness (NIL) deals and NFTs. While NFTs have started to lag, one brand is banking on being able to lift them up with the help of rising college athletes. And, of course, a little nostalgia. NFT platform…
Serena Williams–tennis superstar, entrepreneur and mother–broke the news that she would be evolving away from tennis. The upcoming U.S. Open tournament will be her last game on the world stage. As the news broke on social media, there was something that stood out: She owned her own narrative. She didn’t delegate her news or allow…
Members of fantasy sports leagues analyze players’ statistics to build their ideal team and track how well their chosen athletes perform over the course of the season. Diageo’s Bundaberg Rum and Leo Burnett Australia are using the hobby as a way to draw attention to the National Women’s Rugby League ahead of its premiership season…
The last time Tiger Woods graced the cover of a PGA Tour video game, Harry Styles was still in One Direction, The Conjuring was just one movie, and the Breaking Bad timeline had come to an end on the floor of a meth lab. There may have been a few second acts since then. Back…
It’s OK to love running but hate the run. Brooks Running has long catered to elite marathoners and track athletes. But the brand has found its shoes and other products embraced by different classes of runners since Covid-19 arrived. According to a survey of nearly 4,000 runners conducted by RunRepeat, roughly 28.7% of runners began…
Even as rules around gambling advertising tighten across Europe, sports betting remains a crowded category in the U.K. To stand out from its competitors, Paddy Power has launched a campaign to become part of pop culture. This is Paddy Power’s first work created by Accenture Song-owned agency Droga5 London, which won the account after a…
There can’t be much more powerful a play in advertising than nostalgia, and–in reviving one of cinema’s most iconic moments featuring everyone’s favorite fictional boxing champion Rocky Balboa in a modern take–bookmaking brand Ladbrokes is betting big. Featuring ambitious special effects, the 90-second spot sees Sylvester Stallone on his pre-match marathon run through Philadelphia in…
Julie Haddon keeps hearing that her step up is a step back. When she became head of marketing for Dreamworks Animation in 1998–just before the studio produced Antz, Shrek and Madagascar–she was told computer animation was a fad. When she left a consumer promotions gig at eBay to work for a startup called PayPal Mobile…
As the 2022 Women’s National Basketball Association playoffs begin, many will be tuning in with their favorite snack. Sports and food go hand-in-hand, making resulting brand partnerships a big deal during game time and beyond. With the WNBA season in full swing, Frito-Lay chip brand Ruffles is celebrating by becoming the official chip of the…
Eco-friendly motorsport Formula E continues on an awareness track as the competition rushes to expand in an era of emerging sustainability requirements. The sport, which launched in Beijing in September 2014, is made up of 11 participating teams with a line-up of motorsport partners, which includes Jaguar, Porsche and Nissan. The sport, which completed its…
Microsoft’s Xbox partnered with the New York Liberty and Brooklyn Nets parent company BSE Global earlier this year with two goals: drive conversation and awareness for both brands, while shining the light from Lady Liberty’s torch on women’s sports. Those initial goals have been satisfied. And that’s paved the way for a unique partnership activation:…
A tennis player can have a backhand worth showing off at Arthur Ashe Stadium, but that still might not get them in for a few sets at Cunningham Park. American Express has sponsored the US Open in New York City for nearly 30 years. This year, it’s doing so after a pandemic-fueled spike in tennis…
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