The lore of the Stanley Cup is often used to promote the NHL, sometimes to the detriment of the stars of the game themselves. However, this year NBC has chosen to go the comedy route with its playoff spots. The effect is pretty solid.
A 90-second trailer for the campaign, starring multiple NBC News staffers (David Gregory, Jim Cramer) will debut in movie theaters across the country posing the question “Who stole the Stanley Cup?” You can check it out right here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=majBeDSByyA
Further spots will debut, beginning April Fools’ Day, starring comedian Nick Kroll. One wonders if it’ll just be an extended riff on Pawnsylvania, given NBC’s love of showing the two teams from that state. We’ll take Wheels Ontario too, if we can get it.
Either way, I’m pretty on board with the idea. The “myth of the Stanley Cup” promotional cycle can get a little tiring, but this is a great new way to do it. NBC’s efforts to promote the postseason have always been pretty good, and this should be an interesting new twist on Cup lore.
