#TheRealHeroes Project
Sports United: MLB, MLS, NFL, NHL, NBA, WNBA, ATP, WTA, NWSL, USGA, NASCAR, Activision, EA, WWE
Issue 56 | September 2020
Agency
72andSunny Los Angeles
Creative Team
72andSunny Team Founder, Creative Chairman Glenn Cole Executive Creative Director Jason Norcross Group Creative Director Erwin Federizo
Production Team
Sr. Designer Nate Ripp Design Director Frank Dresmé Group Production Director Nicole Haase Sr. Film Producer Katie Gaul Jr. Film Producer Samantha Davenport
Other Credits
Group Brand Director Simon Hall Brand Director Katie Martin Brand Manager Valerie Fernandez Group Strategy Director John Graham Sr. Social Strategist Kristin Barker
Date
May 2020
Background
The Real Heroes Project was an initiative intended to rally support for frontline healthcare workers on National Nurses Day.
It was a joint effort between fourteen major sports leagues to use the power of sport to uplift and inspire those who need uplift more than ever.
Idea
The biggest sports stars became the biggest fans by replacing their names on the backs of their uniforms with the names of healthcare workers. These heartfelt shoutouts were backed up with personal stories of real healthcare heroism. Athletes, teams and leagues all reached out to their followers to create a surge of participation.
Results
The player-led rallying cry generated over 10 million views without paid support and inspired over 24,000 fans across the world to share their personal tributes to individual healthcare workers. The buzz created led to over 3.3 billion impressions, 87,000 hashtag mentions and caused #TheRealHeroes to trend nationally on Twitter.
Importantly, the healthcare community was beyond grateful for the recognition: “Speechless at this INCREDIBLE TRIBUTE from @naomiosaka - the number 1 tennis player in the world!!!!!! Hidden under my mask is the biggest smile. Thank you so much for this unbelievable gift” - Dr.
Shamsah Amersi.
Our Thoughts
There have been a lot of heroes since coronavirus struck. You and me for (mostly) obeying the rules of isolation and distancing (see Batelco on p. 21) but the real heroes have been – and continue to be - those putting their lives at risk for the rest of us.
Everyone would have felt good about this. The sports stars, the sports bodies representing them (who rather amazingly were persuaded to co-operate with each other on this), the agency and, of course, the healthcare workers.
Also, and I hope I’m not being too ignoble, it would have deflected criticism of some sports for being venal and rushing back too early.