The NHL suffered a PR nightmare in the 2004-2005 season when the entire season was lost to a lockout. In order to regain the support of the fans who were upset about the loss of the entire season, they started a ‘My NHL’ campaign with advertisements on television and in print. The ads from this season (2006-2007) all focus around a superstar player and show him in a situation everyday fans would find themselves in. The tag line at the end if “NHL players are just like me and you… Plus they’re really good at hockey.”
In the first commercial two players from the Tampa Bay Lightning are at home playing a video game. Brad Richards argues that Vinny Lecavalier is cheating and then he gets up, knocks the remote from his hand, and storms off.
The second commercial features many of the stars from throughout the leagu. This was filmed during the All Star weekend. It shows the players in a hotel. We first see Alexander Ovechkin on the phone ordering room service for one person- but he orders enough for 30. It cuts to other scenes of players- some throwing water balloons off a balcony, others playing hockey with miniature sticks and breaking a vase, others racing in the hallways on luggage carts, others scratching a sleeping player with a feather after putting shaving cream in his hands. The commercial ends with Ovechkin telling the room service operator that his name is Sidney Crosby and we then hear a knock at the door. Crosby opens the door to find room service at his door with all of the food Ovechkin ordered.
The third commercial features Ovechkin once again. This time he is alone in a hockey rink. He stops at a vending machine to get some chips but it gets stuck. He tries shaking the machine, kicking it, putting his stick up the hole, and even gets the owner of the team to help him get his chips.
The fourth commercial featured Joe Thronton reading the paper at breakfast. A plate of toast is in front of him and he tries to butter it. The toast is burnt and the butter won’t spread without breaking the bread. He tries another batch but he can’t get the toaster to work.
The fifth commercial features twin brothers who play for the Vancouver Canucks, Henrik and Daniel Sedin. We first see a hotel room with guys sitting around watching tv, playing poker and talking at a bachelor party. They are excited because “Swedish twins are coming.” They all get themselves ready- fixing their hair, unbuttoning the top button on their shirt, etc. A knock is heard at the door and they open it to find the two hockey players dressed in full uniform- the Swedish twins. Not exactly what they were expecting. One of the guys puts music on and the players begin dancing.
Each of these commercials ends with the “NHL players are just like me and you…plus they’re really good at hockey.” The commercials aren’t shown that often except during games but the fans appreciate them. They are basically shown not to get new fans but to reinforce the NHL among thepeople who are already fans of the league.
Everyone can definitely relate to most of them, especially the one with Alexander Ovechkin and the vending machine. It brings the players to a level attainable to the fans who watch them and makes them more real.
Here are the links to watch them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZUTiEdhL30
(LeCavalier and Richards)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OMk1s9s8K8&mode=related&search=
(All Star Road Trip)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=M2dlS47aync
(Ovechkin)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=zKH8TZdWRdw
(Thornton)
http://youtube.com/watch?v=Iw7xpdwmSE4
(Henrik and Daniel Sedin)
