Who: Tangerine, with John St. for strategy and creative; PHD Canada for media.
What: “Lexi’s Seat,” a new campaign timed for the first-ever WNBA game in Canada, which is taking place at Scotiabank Arena on Saturday (May 13).
When & Where: The campaign is running through the lead-up to Saturday’s game, as well as during the game itself. There’s a 30-second video spot running primarily during sports telecasts, as well as on Tangerine’s owned and operated channels, and in-arena during the game.
Why: In 2021, Tangerine began a multi-year partnership with the WNBA as the league’s “foundational partner” in Canada. It is a continuation of the brand’s longstanding association with basketball, which includes partnerships with both the NBA and Toronto Raptors, as well as Basketball Canada.
“We see strong alignment between the Tangerine client base and basketball fans,” said Tangerine’s chief marketing officer, Nicole German. “We really want to get behind basketball, but particularly supporting young girls and women in sports.”
The bank’s connection to basketball has been a key contributor to driving awareness and affinity for the brand, she said. “We connect not necessarily through everyday banking services, but [through] being there to help simplify customers lives through our banking products, and also connecting to this broader customer base through sports.”
How: The campaign’s centrepiece is a 30-second spot showing a young girl from Brampton, Ont. attending this weekend’s WNBA game with her mother.
As the pair make their way to their seats, the in-arena announcer makes the player introductions, except the young girl is introduced as the 2033 third overall pick, a nine-time all-star, and 2043 WNBA MVP. “You could be out there one day,” says the girl’s mother as the screen cuts to the super “Let’s push women’s sports forward,” accompanied by the WNBA and Tangerine logos.
The insight for the spot was driven by the fact Saturday’s game is more than just a game for millions of girls who don’t often see themselves represented in high-level sports. “We watch so many sports that don’t necessarily reflect women…so ‘Lexi’s Seat’ was about a young girl being able to say ‘Imagine that one day that could be me,'” said German.
Also this week, Tangerine and the WNBA unveiled a 12-foot tall statue of the WNBA logo called “Signed, Toronto” that is touring the city before making its final stop at Scotiabank arena. Fans are being invited to sign the statue. “It will be a great icon for women in basketball and sport to be supported by the city. It’s an exciting execution,” said German.
And we quote: “We didn’t just want to have a Tangerine spot, but really a spot about our commitment to women and sport. We know that if we get women involved in sport, it actually helps build confidence, teamwork, and leadership, and that’s a big component of helping women in the workplace.”— Nicole German, chief marketing officer, Tangerine
