• by Wayne Friedman , March 10, 2008

Capitalizing on improving hockey ratings, Versus is ramping up a new marketing campaign for NHL playoffs that continues the tougher, authentic theme of recent marketing efforts.

"We are looking at it from the players' perspective," says Bill Bergofin, senior vice president of marketing and promotions for Versus. Dramatic and dark-looking network promos riff off the main theme: "I am the Stanley Cup Playoffs." The campaign starts March 10. The playoffs begin April 9.

In its main anthem spot, a somber voiceover begins by intoning, "I am a battleground" (showing an empty hockey rink) and then, "I am 18 thousand teammates" (show empty stands), and "I am the signal of victory and defeat" (showing the red scoring light).

The creative for the campaign was done by Taxi New York, which did Versus' previous NHL work.

Previous Versus on-air campaigns showed hockey as a real sport--especially last year's "Do or Die" playoff marketing campaign. Spots used video footage of muscle cars and angry dogs.

"We used them as metaphors for the grit of the players," said Bergofin. In these spots, Versus has profiled up-and-coming bruisers, such as Philadelphia Flyers center Daniel Briere.

The current NHL campaign features seven individual promotional messages in all. In addition, print work will run in Sports Illustrated, Hockey News and Sports Business Journal.

NHL Ratings sank on the first season it ran on Versus--2005-2006--from previous ESPN airings. That's due, in part, to the NHL's work stoppage in the 2004-2005 season. Versus took in a Nielsen Media Research 0.2 household rating during its first season. The network, then known as OLN, also had fewer subscribers. Versus' subscribers have grown to 74 million homes from 60 million during 2005.

Now, after a couple of seasons at basically the same view levels, the league has perked up a bit.

This season, through 48 telecasts, all ratings measurements are higher versus the year before: up 31% in terms of total viewer impressions to 275,540; 41% improved in men 18-49 to 106,066; 27% more in men 18-34 to 48,934; and 50% higher in household ratings to a 0.3.