The Week’s Best in Sports Advertising

This week in sports advertising, Busch turns a Car 2 Can with NASCAR, Rakuten pays you to live your life, and Major League Soccer is back with some flair.

To explore more Rad Ads and cutting-edge agencies engaging the connected fan, subscribe to Hashtag Sports Daily.

1. Jordan — Why Not

Athlete / Influencer: Russell Westbrook

Jordan and Russell Westbrook’s latest spot for the sneaker collab “Why Not Zer0.2” is an ode to the game, featuring quick-twitch chaos reminiscent of the Thunder guard himself.

The “Future History” colorway represents Westbrook’s past and future. Each color on the shoe signifies the teams that he’s played for dating back to high school. The shoe is available for boys and girls of all ages because Russ believes every kid deserves to be encouraged to become the best versions of themselves.

2. Rakuten — Life to the Power of R

Agency: Duncan Channon

Rakuten, the Japanese e-commerce giant, is slowly finding its way into the American mainstream. Well-known for having their brand’s logo featured on the jerseys of Golden State Warriors and FC Barcelona, they released the “‘Life to the Power of R” campaign to showcase the abilities of their loyalty program.

In this spot from Rakuten and Duncan Channon, they encourage users to let their purchases help them experience life doing the things they love, thanks to the cash back. Rakuten tap into young consumers and their drive to spend money on experiences and self-wellness, two things they cherish most.

3. Busch — Car 2 Can

Agency: Deutsch

Athlete / Influencer: Kevin Harvick

Busch is already the official beer of NASCAR, but they want that to truly mean something to hardcore NASCAR fans. Naturally, they chose to cut up Kevin Harvick’s #4 car from the 2018 season and turn it into the collector’s edition Busch cans.

The Car 2 Can campaign from Busch and Deutsch uses sheet metal and carbon fiber to create one-of-a-kind cans that 40 lucky fans will have the chance to win by tuning in to Daytona 500. NASCAR fans are notoriously loyal to their brands and drivers so Busch found the perfect way to organically engage them—giving them a piece of history.

4. MLS — Our Soccer

Agency: Cornerstone

Athlete / Influencer: Prince Royce and TOKiMONSTA

Major League Soccer claims to have the most culturally diverse fan base in all of sports, which is why they launched the “Our Soccer” campaign highlighting the intersection of sports, music, and culture. The spot was produced in English, French-Canadian, Spanish, and Spanglish, reflective of an emphasis on reaching fans from Montreal to LA, and Cincinnati to Miami.

The campaign debuted for the 2018 season with a spot featuring 2 Chainz and Miguel. This year the MLS and Cornerstone enlisted Latin pop star Prince Royce, and TOKiMONSTA—and their Miami and LA ties—to ring in the 2019 season.

5. Tim Hortons — Roll Up the Rim

Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo

Tim Hortons and Zulu Alpha Kilo teamed up once again following up their viral success, “The Away Game,” the story of Kenya’s only ice hockey team playing their first game. This time around the Canadian donut and coffee chain is raising awareness for the 33rd season of their #RollUpTheRim competition.

In this spot, “Legends of Roll Up: Rivals,” Tim Hortons tells the story of best friends turned rivals, torn apart by the struggle to one-up each other during Roll Up season. The documentary-style campaign draws on sports metaphors and the Canadian spirit to show how competitive and fun the annual sweepstakes can be (in hilarious fashion).

Have a Rad Ad we should feature next? Submit a tip here.