Context

The New York Rangers needed to deepen their connection with both long-time fans and younger audiences—not just through wins, but by creating cultural moments that celebrate identity. The goal was to boost engagement, grow the fan base, and inject personality into the Rangers brand beyond sports coverage

The approach

• SWAT launched the “Welcome to Rangerstown” 360 campaign, placing players in playful “fish-out-of-water” scenarios—fully padded and living at a fan's home. It brought comical normalcy to these larger-than-life athletes, subverting traditional athletic marketing. SWAT by Kirshenbaum

• The concept extended across television, digital, in-arena activations, merchandise design, and print ads across flagship publications.

Results

• The campaign resonated deeply with fans, becoming part of the cultural lore of Ranger fandom.

• It helped humanize the team and reinforced emotional connection with New York fans in an entertaining, unexpected way.

• Played regularly during games and extended across media channels—making it both a branding and engagement win.

My role

As the client lead at SWAT, I ran the project end-to-end—from strategy to production. I guided concept development, produced campaign creative, and ensured its seamless adaptation across television, digital, in-arena, and print platforms to capture the essence of Rangerstown.

As a die-hard fan, working on this was genuinely incredible.