Arnold Worldwide and director Bill Rainey, former EP of MTV’s Punk’d, teamed on this branding campaign for major league soccer team the New England Revolution.
The campaign celebrates the defining conflict that gave this team its name, and this region its character, through OOH, radio, print, social and two TV spots — “Hat Act” and “Tea Act” — which feature two British redcoats sent out into the streets of Boston to mess with modern New Englanders by enforcing old colonial acts.
In “Tea Act,” the redcoats look to collect taxes from Bostonians who buy coffee and tea. The customers’ reactions pretty much exemplify the attitude of the Revolution.
James Bray, executive creative director, Arnold Worldwide, said, “New Englanders are the best. They’re a unique, prideful breed. And wickedly territorial. You provoke them, even a little bit, and the gloves come out. We saw it again and again. We’re just thankful we didn’t see blood. Credit to the New England Revolution, though. They didn’t shy away from the kind of authentic behavior that makes Boston the best sports town in America. We just wanted to redirect some of that passion toward the revolution happening down in Foxborough.”
