Thursday, October 15, 2009

Bears, Hawks Launch Ad Campaign

I’m eager to see the new series of ads that will promote the Chicago Bears and Chicago Blackhawks. The ads, which will begin airing in a few weeks, will feature members of both teams in various scenarios. For example, Bears’ quarterback Jay Cutler and Hawks’ captain Jonathan Toews exchange tips on passing.

The ad campaign is unique in that the teams are aligning their brands to reach their fan base, something they apparently share. According to a Chicago Tribune story, 92 percent of hockey fans are also football fans.

The Hawks wanted to reach out to this fan base and approached the Bears to see if they were interested. They even offered to foot the bill for production and air time. The Bears have nothing to lose since they are already well-known worldwide. The Hawks, on the other hand, are trying to capitalize on the buzz they created last year when they surpassed everyone’s expectations in reaching the NHL’s Western Conference finals before losing to the Detroit Red Wings.

If these ads do well, I’m willing to bet the other teams in town -- the Cubs, White Sox, Bulls and Fire – will look to join forces to cross-promote their brands.

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