Number 107
Image source: Rogers Communications
Edmonton Oilers Bring Players' Hometown Ice to the Stanley Cup
Featured Focus:
Community Programs, Partnerships for Good, Innovation
Scope of Impact: National
Before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, the Edmonton Oilers, Rogers Communications, and Publicis Canada engineered a masterstroke of sports marketing, fusing the Oilers' championship aspirations with the very essence of Canadian grassroots hockey. Here’s what you should know:
A National Tapestry of Ice: The "This Is Our Ice" campaign meticulously collected ice from the hometown rinks of six key Oilers players—Connor McDavid, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Darnell Nurse, Stuart Skinner, Evander Kane, and Calvin Pickard—spanning communities across Canada, creating a powerful narrative of shared journey and national pride.
The Power of Symbolic Home Advantage: By integrating these "pieces of home" into the Rogers Place ice for Game 1, the campaign aimed to imbue the professional rink with the spirit of countless community rinks, rallying Canadian hockey communities "from coast to coast" and fostering a collective sense of ownership and psychological edge for the Oilers.
Unprecedented Media Resonance: The campaign's authentic narrative and compelling visual elements generated immense organic traction, with Publicis Canada reporting nearly 700 media outlets, including the New York Times, covering the story within 48 hours.
Rather than simply promoting the Oilers, Rogers and Publicis Canada tapped into the very soul of Canadian hockey: its grassroots origins.
By physically integrating ice from players' hometown rinks into the Stanley Cup Finals surface, they crafted a powerful, tangible narrative that resonated deeply with communities nationwide.
Players themselves expressed genuine sentiment, calling it "a little piece of home" and a moment to "reflect on the path and the journey.”
We love how it amplifies the personal connection to sport, along with the national quest to bring the Stanley Cup back to Canada for the first time since 1993. It turned Oilers fandom into a shared national experience, fostering collective pride and unity. It’s a simple campaign that reminds us how a genuine commitment to the sport's foundational elements can be very powerful, and is true WIN | WIN in terms of awareness, partnerships, and brand loyalty.
While the Minnesota Wild did something similar back in 2017, we’re 100% ok with another team rebooting an idea that worked so well.
Being in Canada, the Oilers have even more to draw on, and gain, from this type of activation, leveraging national pride and connection to make this activation more than a stunt, but a real symbol of unity. (Yes, we know Minnesota is the “State of Hockey.” No shade!)
As we’re writing this, the Oilers are down 3-2 in the Cup Finals and need to win Game 6 to keep their hopes for alive. Whether they win or not, they could auction-off pieces of the community-infused ice to benefit local nonprofits in Edmonton and across Canada. They could continue with this campaign next year by getting ice from high schools and different community across the country, inviting some players to attend games as special guests, too. There’s a whole realm of Oilers x City merch that could be created to build revenue and fandom, and catapult the Oilers closer to the status of being “Canada’s team.”
We really like this initiative because it’s replicable in so many ways. Basketball, football, soccer teams, could all do something similar — so much value in coming back to the essence of a sport (the court, field, ball, tool, etc) because it’s something that all audiences can relate to. We’re inspired! Are you?
Number 106
Image source: Black Star
Allstate, Tyler Adams, Black Star Ignite
Youth Soccer with Philly Mini-Pitch
Featured Focus:
Athlete-Driven Impact,
Community Programs, Access/Inclusion/Equality
Scope of Impact: Local
The recent unveiling of a new mini-pitch in Yeadon, Philadelphia, marks a significant stride in youth soccer development, driven by a powerful coalition. Here’s what you should know:
Collaborative Power: Allstate, U.S. Men's National Team player Tyler Adams, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Black Star, and The SWAG united to create a safe, accessible soccer space at Bell Avenue Elementary.
Athlete-Driven Access: USMNT star Tyler Adams' personal involvement and commitment, including this being his fourth mini-pitch opening with the U.S. Soccer Foundation, underscores the initiative's authenticity and inspirational impact.
Targeted Impact: The project specifically targets underserved Black and immigrant communities in Philadelphia, leveraging soccer to promote physical activity, teamwork, and long-term development.
First and foremost, we love the tangible impact of this initiative. It successfully addressed the critical need for accessible play spaces for underserved communities, contributing substantially to physical well-being, social cohesion, and youth empowerment.
The multi-stakeholder collaboration—corporate power from Allstate, authentic athlete advocacy from Tyler Adams, national programmatic expertise from the U.S. Soccer Foundation, and vital grassroots engagement from Black Star and The SWAG—creates a robust, sustainable model. Their ongoing commitment to expand these efforts nationally, coupled with Philadelphia's broader strategic investments in youth soccer, points to a promising future for the sport at the grassroots level.
We have a soft spot for Tyler Adams’ involvement, because his personal journey resonates deeply with this project. His name and success will inspire youth to engage with soccer and dream of her professional career. But even if they don’t make it to the pros, this opportunity will give them great foundations for the rest of their lives.
Allstate and Black Star have already gone above and beyond this initiative to create additional events, aiming to help teenagers get scouted and recruited to play in college, youth soccer, U.S. Soccer, and professional playing opportunities.
Our competitive spirit would love to see a Black Star March Madness-like tournament, with teams from all of their markets competing against each other. It would bring even more exposure to the youth involved, and more awareness to the work done by Black Star, supported by Allstate.
Partnerships like this one are what makes the WIN | WIN team smile, and it doesn’t have to be a national event. If you were part of something similar in your city, we’d support it with the same enthusiasm. Tell us what you’re up to so we can celebrate it with you, or send us a note about what you’re inspired to make happen — we might be able to help you bring it to life!
