NFL PLAYERS Launches 2008 Branding Campaign: 'Football Doesn't Define Me'

October 10, 2008 4:04 PM EDT

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- NFL PLAYERS, the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association, will follow up last year's successful branding campaign with its 2008 installment: "Football doesn't define me." With the unveiling of NFLPLAYERS.COM/REAL, a new interactive micro site, fans are given an exclusive, under-the-helmet look at 18 of the NFL's top players.

"The new micro site builds on our vision of implementing cutting-edge technology to expand upon the successful NFL PLAYERS brand," said Andy Feffer, NFL PLAYERS COO and Executive Vice President. "The interactive experience instantly engages fans as it reveals the unique stories and characteristics of our players."

The "REAL" micro site

Though last year's micro site won numerous honors, the latest installment goes above and beyond the high standard set before it. Produced by NFL PLAYERS and Forty Forty, a Berkeley, Calif., based branding agency, the new micro site features downloadable desktop graphics, personalized e-cards, video interviews and photo galleries. These elements combine to describe how football represents just one aspect of the lives of these multifaceted, talented and ambitious men.

"At the end of the day, I don't want people to just say I was a good football player," said Cleveland Brown wide receiver Braylon Edwards. "I want to be remembered as a great man on and off the field, whose will to help others exceeded everything else. I understand football is a small part of my life, but it does not define it."

This year, NFL PLAYERS embraced a phrase frequently used by the players themselves during the 2007 REAL campaign: "Football doesn't define me." A series of off-the-field photo shoots gives insight into the personalities of the highlighted players: Drew Brees (New Orleans), Kris Brown (Houston), Luis Castillo (San Diego), Braylon Edwards (Cleveland), Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona), Walt Harris (San Francisco), Patrick Kerney (Seattle), Shawne Merriman (San Diego), Ryan Nece (Detroit), Clinton Portis (Washington), Matt Ryan (Atlanta), Ephraim Salaam (Houston), Bob Sanders (Indianapolis), Steve Smith (Carolina), Jonathan Stewart (Carolina), Fred Taylor (Jacksonville), DeMarcus Ware (Dallas) and Jason Witten (Dallas).

The experience starts on the front page with striking, individual scroll-over "icon" images of each player. Inside the micro site, each gridiron star has a diverse and sophisticated 15-photo portfolio. These inspired and unexpected images combine with the players' profound quotations and stories to guide fans in a multi-media driven journey to ultimately discover what truly defines their NFL heroes.

"When you see guys like Drew Brees, Bob Sanders and some of the other players that are in this campaign, it makes you proud to join them in representing the entire NFL fraternity of players," Castillo said. "It makes you proud to know that you are part of the face for the whole group."

A comprehensive campaign

The branding campaign also integrates a more traditional print component. Selected publications, such as Variety, Brandweek and Adweek will contain two-sided, 5x7 collectible card inserts presenting a player and his own words defining himself beyond football.

"The utilization of player images which embody emotion and personality helps build a deeper connection between our players and their fans," said Lara Potter, NFL PLAYERS Assistant Vice President of Communications. "The REAL campaign and NFL PLAYERS brand imagery has proven successful in illustrating the authenticity of the players' own company*."

In addition, several players participated in a television commercial shoot where they were given an opportunity to artistically express what defines them. While the players painted, they were recorded on camera explaining the significance of their illustrations and words, and the resulting narratives revealed stories from their past, hope for their future and insight into their true passions in life.

The footage will be used to create two 30-second television commercials, set to air on Fox Sports Net in conjunction with the award-winning "NFL PLAYERS Helmets Off" series and on CBS with "NFL PLAYERS Presents the JB Awards."

Dynamic and custom on-line advertisements will appear on Forbes.com, Yahoo!, FOXsports.com and NBCSports.com. They will use imagery similar to that of the micro site while offering a completely unique visual presentation. Clicking on the ad will lead the user back to the micro site.

For more information and to view the 2008 NFL PLAYERS "Football doesn't define me" campaign, please visit http://www.NFLPLAYERS.com/real.

About NFL PLAYERS:

Formed in 1994, NFL PLAYERS is the licensing and marketing subsidiary of the NFL Players Association. Representing more than 1,800 active and many memorable retired NFL players, NFL PLAYERS "takes the helmets off" the players and markets them as personalities as well as professional athletes. Through an exclusive sponsorship agreement between the organization and the NFL, players are integrated into NFL sponsor activation programs. In addition, under an exclusive agreement between NFL PLAYERS and the NFL, NFLPLAYERS.COM, the company's official Web site is part of the part of the NFL Internet Network. Each year NFL PLAYERS negotiates and facilitates extensive player marketing opportunities for players. NFL PLAYERS activities include retail licensing, corporate sponsorships and promotions, special events, radio and television projects, publishing and internet. For more information, please visit NFLPLAYERS.COM.

    * NFL PLAYERS was created by NFL players and is owned by the players.
      Therefore, its core objective is to promote all the players of the NFL
      as real people, with passion and personality. The NFL PLAYERS brand and
      icon represent more than a company; they represent every NFL player on
      and off the field.  Every partner associated with the NFL PLAYERS brand
      shares in the authenticity that is at the heart of the company -- the
      players themselves.

SOURCE NFL PLAYERS INC

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