Molson has launched its multi-year PWHL sponsorship with a one-game jersey pilot project, specifically for the Toronto versus Montréal game taking place this International Women’s Day.
“See My Name” is an initiative to recognize women in sports via an updated PWHL jersey design that swaps the placement of the sponsor with the player’s name. Most hockey jerseys feature the athlete’s name just below the collar, but that name can be partially obscured or even covered up by long hair—a more common occurrence in the PWHL than NHL.
The “See My Name” campaign will see both the Toronto and Montreal player names moved to the bottom of their jerseys, while the Molson logo will go to the top as a literal representation of its support for the league: Molson will help women’s hockey players become household names, even if its brand may be hidden from view.
“It’s meant as the first really big step for Molson and the PWHL, they have their jerseys for the season. And we're making a tweak to it for this special International Women's Day game,” Rethink creative director Robbie Percy told Campaign.
Molson has long been associated with hockey, but Rethink was looking for a non-traditional way to activate the brewer’s PWHL sponsorship. “Often a logo gets put on a jersey and that's kind of it, and it's great for the brand but fans potentially don't like having the logo there,” said Percy. “We really wanted to find a way to use something more traditional—like a sponsorship—in a way that actually helps to elevate the players and bring some more visibility to the game.”
In an accompanying 30-second video spot, the brand explains that it's taking on the concealed placement: “Molson is covering our name, so hers can be seen.” The line is followed by a montage of footage of PWHL players in action while an announcer calls out their name.
"We're proud to announce our upcoming new partnership with the PWHL in an actionable way," said Kara Fitzpatrick, marketing director for Molson and economy brands, in a release. "We're huge fans of the league and its incredible athletes and launching See My Name is a great way to help the stars of the PWHL continue to shine."
Highlighting the need for added visibility, Molson references a study by Wasserman noting that despite a growing interest in women’s sports, the category only accounts for 15% of total sports media coverage globally.
“So often a logo gets put on a jersey and that's kind of it, and it's great for the brand, but fans potentially don't like having the logo there,” said Percy. “So we really wanted to find a way to use something more traditional, like a sponsorship, in a way that actually helps to elevate the players and bring some more visibility to the game.”
"International Women's Day is important for celebrating and recognizing women who are change makers, which makes it fitting for an initiative like See My Name that provides unique recognition for PWHL players," added PWHL senior vice president of hockey operations, Jayna Hefford, in release. For now, the jerseys will make an exclusive appearance at the March 8 Toronto vs. Montréal game at the Mattamy Athletic Centre, officially kicking off the brand partnership with the league.
Paid media will run from March 5 to 24 and will include social (Instagram and TikTok), OLV (YouTube and Sportsnet +), a Sportsnet broadcast integration, a Breakfast Television broadcast integration, and OOH across Toronto and Montreal.
