• by Fern Siegel , September 9, 2022

The NFL just released “It Feels Good to Football” campaign, which posits a pep rally with some of the biggest players in the league. The season and the spot kicked off yesterday at the debut game.

The work, created by 72andSunny in Los Angeles, is set to Dr. Dre’s “Still D.R.E.” track, which features rappers Lil Wayne, Saweetie and Pusha T, gymnast Simone Biles and TikTok star Josh Richards.

It also highlights NFL stars, such as Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf, the New Orleans Saints’ Cam Jordan, the LA Chargers’ Derwin James and Baltimore Ravens’ Justin Tucker.

The 75-second spot celebrates the excitement of the sport and runs on NFL channels. There are also 15-second versions of the ad.

Tim Ellis, Chief Marketing Officer at the NFL, says the decision to bring sports and hip-hop stars together is "part our strategy to keep the league at the forefront of culture." He adds it also "strategically appeals to our key demographics of youth, women and the Latino community."

Non-players spotlighted include Chomps the Cleveland Browns mascot; cheer squad of the Carolina Panthers Top Cats, DJ Liva, Nickelodeon actor and host of NFL on Nickelodeon Young Dylan and Buffalo Bills super fan Pinto Ron.

72andSunny has been NFL’s lead creative agency since December 2018. They teamed to revamp the NFL’s brand image and connect with a younger audience base.

Zach Hilder, executive creative director at 72andSunny, said: “In this kickoff campaign, we’re creating a pep rally fit for the NFL featuring some of the biggest players, best fans, and coolest football personalities in one epic celebration of the upcoming season.”