Usually, making it on ESPN’s SportsCenter is a highlight of any athlete’s career, but every now and then, they end up on the highlight reel for something that went very, very wrong.

Those moments form the focus of a new campaign for ESPN’s flagship series, SportsCenter, by ad agency Droga5. The campaign’s title, “That’s Gonna Be On SportsCenter,” draws from a sportscaster catch-phrase that goes back years.

“Whether it’s a memorable play or an infamous fumble, making it to highlight status on SportsCenter is a badge of honor,” said Wanda Young, SVP of marketing and consumer engagement, ESPN, in a statement. “That’s Gonna be on SportsCenter is an aspirational phrase uttered by athletes and fans alike, and we’re shining a light on its significance with this campaign.”

Premiering Monday, Sept. 10, the multiplatform campaign will air across ESPN TV, digital and social platforms. The first television spot, “Reflection,” (above) shows a football player who is literally beating himself over a botched play, and his self-torment only increases when a ghostly Kenny Mayne shows up and tells him, “that’s gonna be on SportsCenter.”

As the player well knows — and laments — the highlight will be a part of the show’s “Not Top 10” segment, exactly where he does not want to be.

As the campaign rolls out, ESPN producers will flag “Top 10” or “Not Top 10” SportsCenter moments in real time as they happen in games, extending the campaign to actual sports programming.

Beyond the TV, fans will be able to share themed GIFs drawn from the campaign using the GIPHY app.

“We wanted to reaffirm why SportsCenter is the go-to destination for all the highlights, lowlights, and everything in between that exists in the world of the SportsCenter audience. At the end—and beginning—of the day, SportsCenter serves as the ultimate curator that sees and breaks down everything that unfolds in sports, and those highlights are paramount to that experience,” said Brandon Pierce, group creative director, Droga5, also in a statement.

That’s Gonna be on SportsCenter complements ESPN’s This is SportsCenter campaign, which launched in 1995 and includes a library of more than 400 spots.

CREDITS

Client: ESPN, SportsCenter

Agency: Droga5 NY

Creative Chairman: David Droga

Chief Creative Officer: Neil Heymann

Group Creative Director: Brandon Pierce

Art Director: David Spradlin

Copywriter: Evan Barkoff

Design Director: Mark Yoon

Designer: Erin Wilson

Senior Project Manager: Laura Rothman

Chief Creation Officer: Sally-Ann Dale

Director of Film Production: Jesse Brihn

Executive Producer, Film: Tricia Lentini Himot

Associate Producer, Film: Holly Schussler

Director of Business Affairs: Jocelyn Howard

Senior Business Affairs Manager: Kiki Powell

Producer, Print: Rose Mahan

Global Chief Strategy Officer: Jonny Bauer

Co-Head of Strategy: Harry Román-Torres

Strategy Director: Kevin DeStefan

Senior Strategist: Newman Granger

Communications Strategy Director: Michael Pignone

Communications Strategist: Emily Langham

Data Strategist: Joshua Gordon

Group Account Director: Shane Chastang

Account Director: Marissa Guerra

Account Manager: Tori Tessalone

Associate Account Manager: Melissa Pasternak

Legal Counsel: Sarah Fox

Associate Legal Counsel: Zachary Werner

Client: ESPN

President, Global Marketing & Sales: Edward Erhardt

SVP, Marketing & Consumer Engagement: Wanda Young

SVP, Marketing & Brand Solutions: Sean Hanrahan

Sr. Director Marketing Strategy: Samira Zebian

Director Marketing Strategy: Curtis Friends

Associate Marketing Manager: Amanda Marcotullio

Sr. Director Original Content & Brand Intelligence: Edwin Roman

VP, Communications: Amy Phillips

Associate Director, Media: Kimberly Hoang

Sr. Creative Director: Christopher McClure

Associate Design Director: Alex Zartman

Production Company: Arts & Sciences

Director: Mike Warzin

DOP: Ryley Brown

Managing Director: Marc Marrie

Head of Production: Ashley Rabin

Line Producer: Eric Matthew Sedorovitz

Production Supervisor: Bailey Reeves

Editorial: Exile Edit

Editor: Katie Turinski

Assistant Editor: Ling Chua

Executive Producer: Sasha Hirschfield

Head of Production: Evyn Bruce

Sr. VFX Producer: Gwynne Evans Reid

Flame/VFX Artist: Dino Tsaousis

Telecine: Company 3

Senior Colorist: Sofie Borup

Producer: Alexandra Lubrano

Sound Design: Wave Studios

Sound Designer: Aaron Reynolds

Executive Producer: Vicky Ferraro

Sound Mixing: Heard City

Mixer: Philip Loeb

Executive Producer: Gloria Pitagorsky

Tags: espn


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