This fall, Russell Athletic will make its mark on the college football scene by introducing a multifaceted advertising campaign designed with a singular purpose: to demonstrate the power of 'team.' Making its debut on September 3, 2011, the campaign, called 'Together We R,' includes TV spots directed by Sam Bayer, acclaimed for the recent Eminem-Chrysler Super Bowl spots, and features real players and real, raw emotion.
Teams will be showcased in three :30 TV spots on ESPN, FX, and CBS print ads, and interactive units throughout the college football season. The 'we' message will further penetrate the college football market through Russell Athletic's title sponsorship of FX network's Saturday night college football series.
“This campaign excites us because it reflects the substance and genuine spirit of team sports,” said Gary Barfield, executive vice president for Russell Athletic. “College and high school football are the golden standards of that spirit – and the perfect place for our brand. No celebrities or glitz -just real players and coaches doing what they do best and love most. This philosophy is what the Russell Athletic brand is all about.”
Online elements of the campaign include the launch of a new Russell Athletic blog (blog.TogetherWeR.com) as an outlet for athletes, coaches, parents and fans to engage in inspirational conversation – to share their wins, losses and everything in-between.
In addition, Russell Athletic is the exclusive team uniform provider of ESPN's 'Rise UP' – an ESPN original series that tells the story of four communities coming together to renovate their local high school athletic facilities. The series kicks off on September 13, 2011 and airs on the three consecutive Tuesdays thereafter.
