With the month of March somewhere between lion and lamb status, interest in college basketball is high and ESPN is taking the opportunity to introduce its upcoming ACC Network covering Atlantic Coast Conference sports, which debuts August 22.
Austin creative agency Preacher created the launch campaign for the new network, entitled “We Do This.” A fast-paced 60-second anthem ad quickly moves from one team to the next, utilizing mascots and traditions to showcase the unique qualities of each school. The spot is considerably more heavily weighted toward football, which might seem odd considering the timing of its release, but the network’s launch coincides with college football season.
“As we developed this campaign, our goal internally has been to revel in the range of the ACC,” ESPN senior director, sports marketing Michelle Berry said in a statement. “We met that challenge by representing the uniqueness of the member schools while celebrating a dynamic conference that adds up to more than just the sum of its parts.”
The campaign launches today to coincide with the 2019 New York Life ACC Tournament and will run across ESPNs’ outlets on broadcast, digital, radio and social media. Some media will also run outside ESPN channels in targeted ACC markets. Marketing toolkits were also provided to each of the schools in the conference to run in-venue and on multimedia and digital platforms. Custom executions were created for each school as part of the campaign, including video, print and digital assets.
Credits:
Client: ESPN
VP Sports Marketing: Emeka Ofodile
Sr. Marketing Director: Michelle Berry
Marketing Director: Jill Husak
Marketing Coordinator: James Giblin
Agency: Preacher
Chief Creative Officer: Rob Baird
Chief Executive Officer: Krystle Loyland
Chief Strategy Officer: Seth Gaffney
ACD, Art Director: Nick Troop
ACD, Copywriter: Maxx Delaney
Brand Director: Jessica Baker
Sr. Strategist: Doug Kleeman
Sr. Designer: Tim Praetzel
Executive Producer: Stacey Higgins
Sr. Producer: Rachel Kichler
Production Coordinator: Ellen Nelson
Business Affairs: Miiko Martin
Production Company: Pulse Films
Director: Ryan Booth
Global President of Commercials & Branded: Davud Karbassioun
Executive Producer: Hillary Rogers
Line Producer: Jenni Haberstock
DP: Natalie Kingston
Production Designer: Tyler Jensen
Casting: Corrigan Johnston
Edit House: Union Editorial
Executive Producer: Victoria Russell
Producer: Roka Music
Editor: Kevin Ray Assistant: Drew Johnson
Music Supervision: Good Ear Music Supervision
Additional Music: Marmoset, APM, and Peer Music
Mix: Dusty Albertz, TBD Post
Finish House: Union Editorial
Online Artist: Moody Glasgow
Colorist: Mikey Rossiter, The Mill
Still Photography: Nick Simonite
Representation: Kerriann Clem, TPD New York