Last week, ESPN debuted a new spot in its ongoing “This Is SportsCenter” series created by W+K New York; this one celebrates the inaugural College Football Playoff.
In the ad, entitled “Empty,” SportsCenter anchors John Buccigross and Bram Weinstein find themselves in the empty desks of Ohio State Buckeyes and Oregon Ducks coaches Urban Meyer and Mark Helfrich after the pair leave to prepare for the big College Football Playoff National Championship game. The pair clown around with stuff the coaches left behind and even pocket an item or two, yet one of the coaches ultimately gets the last laugh.
The spot marks the end of a push by W+K New York promoting the College Football Playoff that began with an ad starring Sean Astin in July. Along the way, W+K New York found “Different Ways In,” celebrated game day food spreads (the real MVP) and now has taken the push for the College Football Playoff National Championship game to the big time with the “This is SportsCenter” spot.
This particular ad’s purpose — promoting the conclusion to the first College Football Playoff — makes it something of a landmark by default.