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Sports fans are notoriously superstitious. So, to coincide with the NHL’s season kick-off, Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation has released a humorous new TV execution for its Pro-Line game that plays on hockey players’s pre-game eating rituals.
The spot, part of the Bensimon Byrne-created “Get way into the game” campaign, opens with a hockey fan confused to hear that a star player has switched his traditional pre-game meal from chicken to tilapia. With his Pro-Line ticket in hand, he makes a call to find out what that could mean, and he’s eventually assured by a slightly demented-looking fishmonger that tilapia is good.
Pro-Line began using the comedic advertising positioning and superstitious theme last year. One ad called “Zamboni” featured a journalist reporting that the Zamboni had switched its cleaning direction, which was big news to Pro-Line players.
David Rosenberg, creative director for Bensimon Byrne, said OLG was pleased with the results of last year’s campaign so it decided to go with the same concept this season.
The new ad’s humour should resonate with hockey fans, and it gives some insight into how they watch the game, he added. “Hockey fans really see themselves when they watch an ad like this.”
Hockey fans represent the largest segment of Pro-Line in Ontario, said Rosenberg.
Bensimon Byrne has also created similar football-themed ads for OLG, although there are no plans to make ads for other sports, he said.
A print and outdoor campaign will debut later in the season, with ads listing the pros and cons of eating tilapia as a pre-game meal.
