Last month, The National Hockey League (NHL) unveiled a “new “passionate” campaign for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, showcasing the extraordinary lengths fans go to in support of their favorite teams.
The campaign, created by AOR Highdive, kicked off with three spots that debuted on the NHL’s digital and social media platforms, and will aired nationally on ESPN. The 30-second commercials humorously highlight the passionate and sometimes extreme behaviors of NHL fans as they rally behind their teams’ pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
In “Tattoo,” a zealous Vegas Golden Knights fan gets a Stanley Cup Championship tattoo before the 2019 Playoffs, confidently declaring, “this is our year.” However, the outcome did not match his optimism.
In “Catfish,” a dedicated Nashville Predators fan sneaks a dead catfish into the arena, enduring the smell and security checks, before throwing it onto the ice as a good luck charm.
In “Not Together,” two lifelong Colorado Avalanche fans end their 10-year relationship, convinced they were bad luck after the team wins the Stanley Cup the first game they watch separately, highlighting how, for some, their team is their true soulmate.
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“This campaign celebrates the extreme, and occasionally irrational, ways hockey fans show their passion and commitment to their favorite team,” said Casey Hall, Senior Vice President, Marketing & Branding for the NHL. “While these spots highlight three unique and fun stories, the idea that ‘love makes you do crazy things’ is a universal theme that connects with sports fans everywhere.”
“These spots really capture the unique love that NHL fans have for their teams and the Playoffs,” stated Chad Broude, co-founder of Highdive. “In these ‘crazy love stories,’ which were actually inspired by true stories we found, we paint a different picture of the way fans show their admiration and dedication to their teams—everything from getting tattoos to throwing a dead catfish onto the ice. The Playoffs are such a special time for NHL fans, and we wanted to give them a nod in these spots for everything they do to help their teams make it to the Final.”
The Stanley Cup Playoffs Conference Finals begin tonight with games broadcasted on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN+, TNT, TBS, TruTV, and MAX in the U.S., and in Canada on SN, SN1, SN360, SN+, CBC, TVA Sports, and TVAS2. Internationally, NHL media partners will deliver games to fans worldwide.
