• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, December 29, 2015

As enthusiasm builds for the upcoming 2016 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic — taking place between archrivals Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens, who will pummel each other at Massachusetts’ Gillette Stadium New Year’s Day — the brand is hoping fans will duke it out on social media, with a #DressForBattle game face competition.

The annual event, started back in 2008 as a way to recapture some of the sports’ original pond-hockey camaraderie, is played outdoors. (The Bruins’ social-media push for the event is even #BackOutdoors.) Reebok Hockey is asking fans to compete in the Pride contest, posting their photos on either Twitter or Instagram and potentially winning prizes. Winning submissions might appear on billboards or metro screens in Boston and Montreal. Actor and diehard Canadiens Jay (“Man Seeking Woman”) Baruchel is also scheduled to appear in the campaign.

Whenever a fan posts a picture with the hashtag, it automatically uploads on the www.reebokdressforbattle.com microsite, which invites them to “Suit up + Stare Down. Skates Optional.”

“Reebok Hockey is working to promote the campaign through its own social platforms, as well as via local onsite activations during game day,” says Kathleen Donohue, NHL marketing specialist. “Fans who attend the 2016 Winter Classic game will be able to take part in a series of events that promote the #DressforBattle campaign right at Gillette Stadium. Reebok Hockey is also working with a few notable celebrity fans who will post their own game face and promote the campaign to their followers via their own social media platforms.” 

It will host a tent at Gillette Stadium during the event with brand ambassadors, the chance to psych out opponents with their game face, and hockey trivia. And those who upload a photo get a special magnetic frame. 

She says the Winter Classic game “resonates with many fans across the nation. For this campaign in particular, we have targeted both the Boston and Montreal markets as well as hockey fans nationally. While Boston and Montreal are our main targets, we have opened this up for fans across North America to experience and celebrate Winter Classic with us.”

Campfire is the agency for this social media campaign, while MC Saatchi is Reebok Hockey’s AOR for social media and PR.

The event comes just weeks after the New York Post reported that Reebok parent Adidas is looking to sell off the hockey division. While sales in the Reebok-CCM Hockey division are strong — up 10% in the third quarter, on a currency neutral basis, according to the German company’s most recent quarterly results — the report says it hopes to sell off its sports equipment brands and simplify its business.

Adidas recently put its TaylorMade golf club brand on the market, and sold off its Rockport shoe division back in January. While the company has said it has no interest in selling the larger Reebok brand, skating away from hockey might appeal to investors, who would like to see Reebok continue in its efforts to refocus on fitness.