• by Sarah Mahoney , over 1 hour ago

 
Buffalo Bills fans -- famously among the most devoted in the NFL -- are getting a closer look at the hard-working crews who constructed their new Highmark Stadium, seen through the lens of a campaign from Carhartt.

Called “Passing the Torch,” the new series unites Bills Legend Thurman Thomas and current star James Cook III, the team’s Pro Bowl running back. It’s also part of a larger homage to the unsung tradespeople who make everything come together on game day.

And while there’s a slick 30-second hero spot, “Making Football Possible,” much of the effort focuses on long-form details the Bills Mafia will go nuts for. It includes content with Thomas, one of the team’s most beloved running backs, talking about his commercial construction company, 34 Group Inc., which installed the seats in the new stadium. It showcases the dedication, craftsmanship and pride of his crew, along with the thousands of other tradespeople who worked on the stadium.

Additional spots highlight the role vendors played in construction, from growing the grass to welding the uprights.

The new work is part of the brand’s ongoing “Made Possible” campaign, launched last August, that focused on the early stages of Highmark’s construction.

"Stadiums aren't just concrete and steel. They are monuments to what can happen when grit, skill and purpose come together," said Norma Delaney, Carhartt’s vice president of marketing and brand creative, in the release. “From the first shovel in the ground to the opening kickoff, major construction projects like the new Highmark Stadium are made possible by hardworking people wearing Carhartt.”

And when fans show up for the first preseason home game at the stadium Aug. 15, the apparel brand also hopes to make an impression with a rally towel giveaway for the first 20,000 attendees. Printed on both sides, the towel includes the names of every person on the crews who worked on the new stadium.

In-stadium messaging will also acknowledge those workers.

Other workwear brands are attaching their marketing to different sports. Timberland PRO has a new multiyear partnership with NASCAR. The company, owned by VF Corp., is integrating its products and brand across NASCAR platforms, and supporting NASCAR employees and track workers with protective footwear.

And Strauss is the new presenting sponsor for Netflix’s MLB at Field of Dreams, for both pre- and post-game coverage.