New Hockey The Hard Way Commercial

Me Likey. I cannot make it any simplier than that expression. Not only does it show what Arizona has to offer (golf, swimming off the back of houseboats, cacti) but it shows the action of a game. The kind of action fans of hockey and the Coyotes love. Derek Morris checks, Lauri Korpikoski scoring. That is what every hockey ad should show. The original ad reinforced the stereotype and mindset most have regarding hockey in Phoenix. It didn’t promote the positive aspects that the Coyotes have in Phoenix and in hockey. Fallon, the ad agency responsible for the ad campaign, has hit a home run with this ad.

It is true the team gets virtually no promotion from the local tv and print media. The Arizona Republic doesn’t even send their beat reporter to every away game. They rely on the AP or other national media. TV sports, relegated to about three minutes at the end of the broadcast, will have three Cardinal stories, two ASU, a high school, and a Suns story even though they were locked out. If you listen to Sirius XM Home Ice, you will get more interviews with Coyotes than the local media provides.

Rich Nairn and the p.r. department of the Coyotes  put out high quality stories all day long and work their tail off (get it, tail, that was a Howler pun). Until the media gives the Coyotes their fair time in reports, things won’t change. How do the Coyotes change this? Keep winning. Often and for long periods of time. At some time, the local media will have to report on the wins. The team has to do their own promotion, this commercial does it with humor and hockey highlights. To be fair, Roc and Manuch (http://www.thefan1060.com/showdj.asp?DJID=33738) do have good coverage.

I’ve never understood why there isn’t a promotion of the positive aspects and features of the Coyotes. In an ad, talk about the 60 minutes of action in a hockey game. Show that they are one of the cheapest tickets in professional sports. Feature the family and how you can bring your children to a game. Have video of the players visiting Phoenix Children’s Hospital. Make a video clip of Mites playing during the first intermission of game. Tell how many kids in the valley are playing organized hockey. Get Paul Bissonnette  bringing in a family to a game from the shelter. Shane Doan does countless acts for the community. Coyotes charities gives out thousands of dollars each game to worthy beneficiaries.  All this can be done on your team website and their YouTube channel.

Paul does a great video series called Hockey 101. He goes out into Tempe and downtown Phoenix  and asks random people if they know the answer to hockey related questions. Such as “What does dropping the mitts mean?” or “What is a grocery stick?” The best part is Paul’s interaction with the people. He will have a tv job when his playing career is over.

If you go to the the Coyotes website, they have the Papa John’s Family Pack. Four tickets to a Saturday night game in December, four game pucks, and a voucher for a Papa John’s pizza. 99 dollars. Great bargain.  Now, they need to do this for January so Santa can leave this under the tree. The past few years, they have had family packs for the holidays. Tickets, signed puck, great price.

The new Hockey The Hard Way commercial is a step in the right direction.