FOX NETWORK | NHL on Fox - Better If It Were Hockey | 1998
Hook You in 10 Seconds, Then Make You Laugh / FOX NETWORK "Better If It Were Hockey"
This is an ad from 1998, back when FOX held the broadcast rights to the NHL. It shows footage of a squash match and then flatly declares, "This would be better if it were hockey" — the sheer boldness of that move is something else.
The insight
At the time, hockey tended to be treated as a minor sport in America, and FOX chose to tackle that head-on. Their strategy was to sell hockey's appeal paradoxically, by putting down other sports.
The idea
After showing a few seconds of footage from a squash match, the ad cuts it down with one line: "This would be better if it were hockey." It's an almost absurdly simple idea — but that's exactly why it sticks with you.
What happened
It won a GOLD award. Through this "better if it were hockey" series, Cliff Freeman & Partners built a long-running relationship with Fox Sports.
Afterthought
Deliver the point in 10 seconds, then spend the rest of the time making people laugh. That's classic Cliff Freeman. This ad is a nice reminder of just how powerful humor can be in advertising.
Awards
- Cannes Lions Gold 1998
