Creative: Anomaly & NBC Sports Agency, brand creative; Troika Design Group, network design.

Campaign Led By: John Miller, CMO of NBC Universal Television Group and head of the NBC Sports Agency; Bill Bergofin, SVP of marketing and creative services at NBC Sports Network; Tripp Dixon, VP, creative director at NBC Sports Network; Mark Levy, VP/creative director at NBC Sports & Olympics; Ryan Donovan, VP of marketing at NBC Sports Network.

Target Audience: Males, 18-49/25-54.

Objective: Tell the best sports stories at eye level while guaranteeing the high-quality coverage fans know and love.

Steps Taken: Sports metaphors aside, the NBC Sports Network (previously Versus) began its rebranding marathon January 2 and has already proven it’s ready to join the now-thriving NBC/Comcast team. By folding NBC Sports Network into the NBC empire, the channel was able to recruit content from a strong lineup of sports properties including the Golf Channel and more than 10 Comcast regional sports networks. After launching with the NHL Winter Classic, it will also bring MLS games, the Olympics and big sports names (and voices) like Dan Patrick and Bob Costas to its airwaves.

“The goal was to bring together all NBC sports into one group to create a sports ecosystem that can deliver a broader range across all platforms, taking advantage of the full scale of the NBCUniversal family,” said Bill Bergofin, SVP of marketing and creative services at NBC Sports Network.

In order to leverage the sports legacy of NBC, creative revolved around the existing NBC look with an added personal touch. Taking the revered and intimate storytelling structure so popular from NBC’s Olympics coverage, NBC Sports promos showcased athletes in moments of reflection and preparation. “As any great athlete would prepare, we were preparing for our big day,” said Bergofin.

Lessons Learned: “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” Bergofin said. “A lot of people look at it as a sprint to rebrand, and we looked at it as more of a marathon.”

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