Earlier this month, an integrated campaign debuted all across America from Labatt USA with the goal of driving awareness and providing support for the growing sport of sled hockey. Developed by Labatt along with the digitally led creative agency Resource/Ammirati New York, the new "Pass It Forward" campaign features prominent sports anchor and hockey lover John Buccigross as its spokesperson. Its two PSA-style spots began airing nationally in November on NBC, NBC Sports, the NHL network and other high-profile media outlets. Both spots were directed by Vincent Lin of Valiant Pictures, and can be viewed here: http://youtube.com/labattusa.
"Sled hockey is a sport designed to allow players with a physical disability to play ice hockey," Lin began. "It's an intense, physically-demanding and exciting game that's quickly turning more and more heads. I applaud Labatt for its phenomenal support."
Back in April, in partnership with USA Hockey and Buccigross, Labatt unveiled its initiative to sponsor and create more access for players, including 10 new adult sled hockey programs. The announcement was made just before the 2015 IPC Ice Sled Hockey World Championships in Buffalo, New York, which is where Lin captured his source footage for the "Pass It Forward" campaign spots.
Lin provided more insights into his experiences shooting during the championship in Buffalo. "I didn't know what I would capture going into it – that's the scariest and best part of documentary filmmaking. In interacting with the players and hearing their inspiring individual stories and their dedication to teamwork and family, the story really became about their commitment and love for the game. By the way, USA won," he added with a smile.
Complete project credits are available upon request. Stay up-to-date about Labatt's sled hockey initiative by visiting http://labattus.com/sledhockey. You can also join the conversations at http://facebook.com/LabattUSA and http://twitter.com/LabattUSA.
About Valiant Pictures
Valiant Pictures (http://valiantpictures.com) is a New York-based independent production company specializing in branded content, commercials, and original entertainment. Established in 2010 by director Vincent Lin and executive producer Matthew D'Amato, the latest creative achievements from Valiant's award-winning filmmakers are captivating diverse audiences across all media platforms. Continually and courageously challenging conventional expectations, the best is yet to come.
