From their kitchen tables, lounges and backyards, along with their pets and children and other important people in tow, some of the most recognizable faces in sport pay tribute to frontline medical workers in the fight against Covid-19.
And they do it in the most visible way possible: by placing the names of emergency doctors, obstetricians and paramedics on their match day jerseys, racing suits, polo shirts and tanks, then going wild stadium quality cheers.
“The world of sport thanks you for reminding us of what it means to be great,” said the two-minute public service announcement that documents the effort. Then he urges the rest of us to “thank one of your heroes”.
The spot, launched today – National Nurse’s Day – with Beyonce’s Halo as soundtrack, comes from Los Angeles agency 72andSunny and production partner Hecho Studios after a historic alliance between 14 professional sports leagues and entertainment brands.
Nicknamed “The Real Heroes Project”, it is the culmination of an unprecedented collaboration between marketing A-listers from the NFL, MLB, NHL, MLS, WWE, Nascar, the Women’s Tennis Association and Electronic Arts, among others.
PSA showcases more than two dozen participating athletes including New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, World Cup winner Carli Lloyd, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and WWE Triple H.
The video, produced remotely with DIY images of the athletes, aims to spark a lasting movement.
Organizers – senior marketing executives like NFL CMO Tim Ellis, NHL CMO Heidi Browning, NBA CMO Kate Jhaveri and Activision Blizzard Esports Daniel Cherry III CMO, who initially connected via virtual gatherings led by Adweek – hoping to get buy-in from athletes of all skill levels, neighborhood pickup games and Saturday morning T-ball to high school and college teams.
Professional athletes take the lead, with those of video and their teammates paying tribute digitally and sharing on social networks.
Athletes playing in PSA, some of whom pay tribute to family and personal friends, told Adweek they wanted to turn the tide for those who save lives and risk their own.
“I can’t imagine everything they see day after day and how stressful life has to be for them,” said George Kittle, the end of All-Pro, San Francisco 49ers, who cheers on his friend from high school. and from the college, Kari Mueller, registered nurse at Advocate Aurora Health in Milwaukee.
“I hope everyone who puts their lives on the line every day to protect and treat those who need it knows how much we admire and admire them,” says Kittle. “And I hope it’s a small way to show how much we care and appreciate everything they do.”
WTA Grand Slam Singles Champion Victoria Azarenka pays tribute to a deceased nurse named Araceli Buendia Ilagan, who “has spent almost 33 years of her life working with the most seriously ill hospital patients” in Miami. “While fighting to keep many relatives of the Jackson Memorial intensive care unit alive, she fell ill herself with Covid-19 and died.”
WWE Charlotte Flair says graduate nurse Jill Cardone (Hartford Healthcare in Connecticut) is “an inspiration to me.” It makes me want to be a better person. Reorganizing the dress she wears on competition nights, Flair says, “I thought it would be a unique and memorable way to honor her.”
Two tennis stars, Coco Gauff and Bianca Andreescu, celebrate close friends, and another top player, Ashleigh Barty, shouts her sister, registered nurse Sara Coppolecchia. Meanwhile, WTA double Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka calls attention to Dr. Shamsah Amersi, an obstetrician in Los Angeles who “not only gives birth to babies in such dire circumstances, but during his time free, she works tirelessly to find additional PPE for her colleagues and to feed those who cannot eat alone. “
