Off the Wall, On the Board

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

What are three perfect pairings for the Southern California sunshine? Skate, surf, and maybe surprisingly…hockey! Over the course of 30 years, The Anaheim Ducks have been sewn into the fabric of local culture – a local culture that happens to also be a global phenomenon.

In celebration of 30 years of Anaheim Ducks hockey, they teamed up with their legendary OC neighbors at Vans for a first-of-its-kind collaboration on three pairs of limited-edition shoes honoring the team’s history and the passionate fan bases of both brands.

Over the course of eight months, teams from both brands worked to design three unique shoes that were unveiled in March 2024 at Vans Night, a skateboard culture themed hockey game.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

By creating the first ever shoe collaboration between Vans and a professional sports team, the campaign gained a global interest from over 84 countries. While intially intended to be an offering for ticketed fans, the demand the social campaign generated was so high people from around the world demanded access to the shoes. It created a unique set of activations and products that demonstrated how sports teams can foster both local and global fandom simultaneously through celebrating local roots while bringing in fans from around the world.

Objective

The Anaheim Ducks' 30th anniversary campaign with Vans was created to deepen fan loyalty and expand the team's base by creating an iconic celebration of both brands' heritages that aimed for an overwhelmingly positive fan sentiment and a rapid sellout of the limited-edition shoes and tickets to the home game for "Vans Night."

Additionally, it sought to cross-pollinate fan bases, introducing Vans enthusiasts to Ducks hockey and vice versa, with the goal of significantly increasing first-time ticket buyers and return ticket buyers. Importantly, it aimed to attract new audiences to Ducks games, introducing the excitement of hockey to a broader Southern California demographic, while reinforcing the team's status as a beloved local institution with global appeal.

Generating organic reach and engagement was an addtional objective on top of ticket and shoe sales.

Strategy & Execution

The strategy was to leverage 30 years of local heritage of both the Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club and Vans to deepen fan connections and drive arena attendance. Merging hockey tradition with Southern California street culture, to create a unique, collectible experience that transformed casual supporters into passionate advocates.

Three shoes designs were released. "Legacy" featuring a high top in classic plum and jade team colors, "Players Edition" featuring the 30th anniversary logo and "Wild Wing" an orange and white checked slip-on with the classic Ducks logo in a nod to the team's mascot.

The campaign built intrigue through a social campaign that teased the partnershp and shoes through a video series featuring Wild Wing and Steve Van Doren, the son of Vans founder Paul Van Doren.

Season ticket holders were given an opportunity to pre-order, leading to 1,000 pairs sold and on game day, fans started lining up at the Honda Center as early as 6 a.m. for a chance to grab one of the 2,000 remaining pairs of the limited-edition shoes.

At Vans night, Honda Center’s outdoor patio was transformed into a giant pop-up skate shop, featuring food trucks, unique photo opportunities, and autograph sessions with SoCal skateboarding legends.

Organizations

• OC Sports & Entertainment
• Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club
• The Syndicate

Credits

Tracee Larocca
CMO
OC Sports and Entertainment

Merit Tully
CMO
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

Trenten Nielsen
Director Anaheim Ducks Performance Marketing
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

Laura Marttinen
Director, Anaheim Ducks Brand Marketing
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

Alex Gilchrist
Senior Director, NHL Communications & Broadcast
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

G.M. Ciallella
Digital Marketing and Analytics Manager
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

Stephanie Ericsen
Digital Marketing Specialist
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

Patrice Speed
Vice President, Executive Creative Director
OC Sports and Entertainment

Wes Tiongco
Associate Creative Director
OC Sports and Entertainment

Amanda Le
Senior Designer
OC Sports and Entertainment

Lauren Parker
Vice President Content
OC Sports and Entertainment

Matthew Lindblad
Senior Content Producer
OC Sports and Entertainment

Sanh Tran
Video Editor
OC Sports and Entertainment

Samantha Glanz
Publicist
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

Adam Brady
Director Publications & Digital Content
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

Tyler Pistoia
Digital Content Producer
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

Jill Bauer
Senior Director Merchandising
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

Lizette Gutierrez
Retail Operations Manager
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

John Buehler
Manager Inventory and Merchandise
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

Jeanette Encino
Manager, E-commerce
Anaheim Ducks Hockey Club

Jon Landman
Managing Partner & CEO
The Syndicate

Graham Rothenberg
President & General Manager
The Syndicate

Amy Tremmel
SVP, Marketing and Events
The Syndicate

Jake Wagner
Senior Manager, Music Supervision
The Syndicate

Max Falvey
Senior Manager, Marketing & Events
The Syndicate

Sami Miller
Account Manager
The Syndicate