Sports United: #TheRealHeroes Project, 3

Credits & Description:

Title of Entry: #TheRealHeroes Project
Brand: MLB, MLS, NFL, NHL, NBA, WNBA, ATP, WTA, NWSL, USGA, NASCAR, Activision, EA, WWE
Product/Service: Sports United
Client: Sports United
Entrant Company: 72andSunny Los Angeles
Creative Agency: 72andSunny Los Angeles
Chief Creative Officer: Glenn Cole
Creative Director: Jason Norcross
Creative Director: Erwin Federizo
Art Director: Nate Ripp
Account Manager: Simon Hall, Katie Martin, Valerie Fernandez
Producer: Nicole Haase/Katie Gaul/Samantha Davenport
Editing Company: Hecho Studios
Editor: Amanda Tuttle
Sound Studio: LIME Studios
Sound Engineer: Ben Tomastik
Music Company: Sony Music Entertainment
Post Production Company: Hecho Studios
Sports United Team: NFL - EVP, Chief Marketing Officer: Tim Ellis/NFL - Chief Brand Officer, San Francisco 49ers: Alex Chang/WWE - Vice President, Brand: Laura Petrucelli/WWE - Chief Brand Officer: Stephanie McMahon /MLB - SVP, Marketing: Barbara McHugh /MLB - Senior Vice President, Communications: Matt Bourne /MLS - SVP, Brand and Integrated Marketing: David Bruce /NHL - Chief Marketing Officer: Heidi Browning /NBA - Chief Marketing Officer: Kate Jhaveri /NBA - Chief Fan Officer: Danielle Lee/ NBA/WNBA - Director of Marketing and Advertising: Katie Papelian/ NWSL - Commissioner: Lisa Baird /NWSL - Director of Communications: Kirsten Brierley /ATP/WTA - President: Micky Lawler /WTA - Head of Social, Digital Media & Strategy: Josh Landau /WTA - Senior Manager, PR & Corporate Communications: Jessica Culbreath/USGA - Chief Brand Officer: Craig Annis / NASCAR - Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer: Jill Gregory/ NASCAR - Senior Vice President, Marketing: Pete Jung / EA - Chief Marketing Officer: Chris Bruzzo / ATVI - Chief Marketing Officer: Daniel Cherry III
Design Director: Frank Dresmé
Hecho Producer: David Harry Yoon/ Flame Artist: Verdi Sevenhuysen/Animator: Anastacio Gallardo/Post Production Director: Ryan Curtis /Chief Content Officer: Tom Dunlap
Strategy: John Graham/Kristin Barker
PAL: Latanya Ware/Christopher Profeta/Marty Cole
Assistant Editors: Max Pankow/Nic Watkins
Lime Studios: Assistant Sound Mixer: Kris Huayta/Executive Producer: Susie Boyajan /Producer: Sam Sotomura
Music Supervision: Morgan Thoryk + Andrew Kahn, Good Ear Music Supervision
Song: Halo by Beyonce
Date of Release: 2020-05-04
Notes: The Real Heroes Project was a non-profit initiative intended to rally support for frontline healthcare workers in celebration of National Nurses Day. It was a joint effort combining forces between fourteen major sports leagues and uniting behind a common cause for good, by using the power of sport to uplift and inspire those who needed it more than ever.
The world of sports united like never before to honor courageous frontline healthcare heroes with personal tributes. The biggest stars in sports became the biggest fans by altering the names on the backs of their uniforms and replacing it with the names of the healthcare workers. Social films featuring this act with heartfelt shoutouts shared the personal stories of real healthcare heroism. Athletes, teams and leagues ignited their fan bases creating a surge of participation and serious traction without any dollars spent on paid media.
The Real Heroes Project created a social movement. The player-led rally cry, generated over 10 million views across league and player social without paid support, inspired over 24 thousand sports fans across the world to share their personal tributes to individual healthcare workers that inspired them. The buzz created from the movement led to over 3.3 billion impressions, 87 thousand hashtag mentions and caused #TheRealHeroes to trend nationally on Twitter.
And most importantly, we supported the healthcare community in a time when they needed it most: “Speechless at this INCREDIBLE TRIBUTE from @naomiosaka - the number 1 tennis player in the world!!!!!! Hidden under my mask is the biggest smile. Thank you so much for this unbelievable gift” - Dr. Shamsah Amersi.