Home is where Lowe’s heart is as brand sponsors NFL draft
With the majority of U.S. consumers on lockdown in their houses, Lowe’s is taking the opportunity to highlight the importance of home in a campaign running during the NFL Draft. Mooresville, N.C.-based Lowe’s is a presenting sponsor of the draft on ESPN; the retailer became the official home improvement retail sponsor of the league last year.
As part of the campaign, one spot will debut on Thursday and two will air throughout the rest of the draft and beyond. Lowe’s is also mobilizing players including Joe Burrow, the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback who led LSU to victory in the 2020 National Championship Game, to the effort. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the draft will be virtual this year—which presented an opportunity, according to Marisa Thalberg, who joined Lowe’s as executive VP, chief brand and marketing officer earlier this year.
The retailer is one of many marketers adjusting their advertising in response to the pandemic, and is not the only brand promoting the importance of the home. Hear more about such efforts on this week’s Marketer’s Brief Podcast.
“It’s this very curious situation where it’s the first live sports event in weeks—the players will be in their own homes finding out what their new home team and new home city will be,” says Thalberg. “This campaign is a combination of just telling the story of who we’ve always been and who we are right now.”
One commercial showcases a diverse group of houses. “But no matter the shape, square footage, or who might live in them, they all represent something more,” a voiceover says in the spot, before closing with, “Home is what unites us.”
Earlier in the week, Burrow, who is from Athens, Ohio, addressed Lowe’s ahead of the draft on his Instagram account. “As I look forward to getting a call I’ll never forget later this week, I wanted to call a few special people at @loweshomeimprovement in my hometown to thank them for everything they do for our community,” he wrote on a post that included video footage of the calls.