What happens when a streetwear fashion brand and an NHL hockey team partner to bring a new level of style and cultural conversation to the rink? The answer lies in the newly released Anaheim Ducks x Ryoko Rain collaboration.
With the exception of Kith and the New York Rangers and a multileague partnership that includes the NHL with Travis Scott’s clothing label Cactus Jack, hockey isn’t typically a first draft pick when it comes to fashion collaborations centered around culture and sport. Basketball, soccer, track and tennis usually see the lion’s share of collabs.
The product-led collaboration between the Orange County-based luxury streetwear brand and one of the NHL’s most popular teams debuted November 22 at the Ducks’ home game and sold out within hours, with fans lining up as early as 6:00 a.m. in front of the team store for a chance to score items from the collection. The limited-edition, 22-piece collection consisted of outerwear pieces including jackets, hats and beanies, as well as shirts and shorts; offering fans a fresh and fashion-forward expression of team pride by blending the Ducks’ iconic identity with Ryoko Rain’s narrative-driven design approach.
If it walks like a duck
The team’s locker room provided the backdrop for an editorial photoshoot to capture the collection, which was modeled by Anaheim Ducks players Leo Carlsson, Lukáš Dostál, Radko Gudas, Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba and Frank Vatrano.
“This collaboration with Ryoko Rain showcases that [brand] identity, connects with fans in a new way and highlights that Ducks hockey carries style and edge both on and off the ice,” shared Merit Tully, SVP and CMO for the Anaheim Ducks.
(Photo credit: Anaheim Ducks, Ryoko Rain, used with permission)
“I wanted to do something completely different for the Ducks,” Ryoko Rain cofounder and creative director Garrett James shared with Campaign about his approach to designing the collection. “We went crazy with the looks and size of the collection, and did something no other NHL team has done — create a ‘Duck-foot clog.’ Most hockey teams have merchandise we’re all used to — jerseys, hoodies, T-shirts, jackets and hats, with very traditional, classic looks. My intention was to create a collection that Ducks fans would buy and proudly wear, with pieces that stood out. Some of my favorite items we created include the reversible camo work jacket, potassium sprayed knitted sweater, the Jacquard Seigaiha waves denim jacket with rubber duckies and the camo parka.”
Bringing style to the rink
Entering a new arena for fashion and hockey, the brands took an intentional and paced approach to the campaign. They built momentum with product reveals, social teasers using AR and cinematic videos featuring unboxing videos revealing the collaboration and its drop date, images of the players doing tunnel walks and in-arena fan experiences including photo ops with a car-sized version of the clog during games to draw attention and gain interest.
The marketing mix also included digital OOH billboards, email and text marketing, in-arena assets (Victory+ Broadcast TV, arena rings, scoreboard, concourse video spots), digital ads, video content with players, Ryoko Rain creative and an event launch party.
The partnership and campaign, orchestrated by Rocket Launch, has been a year in the making. The collaboration bridges two Southern California brands that saw an opportunity to shake up the status quo and elevate hockey’s fashion game by bringing the best elements of both brand’s identities and personality to life through apparel, footwear and a fresh infusion of lifestyle energy into the sport.
“The team at Ryoko Rain is always looking to work with brands who are willing to push the boundaries of what’s possible and do something that hasn’t been done before,” Rocket Launch VP and partner Dan Nasitka told Campaign. “Our intention was to do something no other hockey teams have done and set a new standard for how fashion brands and hockey teams can (and should) collaborate.”
The puck doesn’t stop here
To date, the multichannel campaign designed to draw attention, social conversation, ticket sales and merchandise sales around the splashy new collection delivered 8.1M+ social media impressions, 155K+ engagements and 413M+ in earned media impressions, with the product helping drive a sellout crowd of 17,174 and deliver the third-highest regular season gross revenue of all time for the team store.
“Hockey is primed for this fashion and lifestyle revolution,” Garrett shared when asked about the timing of the brand’s first foray into the sport, citing the Kith/Rangers collaboration and another with Sana Detroit and the Detroit Red Wings. “With the NHL removing the mandate for players to wear suits to games, this is the opportunity for teams to collaborate with designers and labels to bring in fresh creative and do something different — not just for their players, but also their fans. Tunnel looks are a big hit in other sports, especially the NBA/WNBA [and] NFL. Hockey can be a part of that conversation.”