In their 2023-2024 season, the Boston Bruins reached a historic milestone, becoming the first National Hockey League club in the U.S. to reach 100 years of play. A team woven into the cultural fabric of the city of Boston, the Bruins set out on an unprecedented task: to launch a Centennial campaign that delivers over a year’s worth of exciting activations and content that successfully engages the community and generations of fans, players and alumni, while also capturing the spirit of a century of Bruins history.
The brand platform – “Blood, Sweat & 100 Years” – was concepted by agency partner GYK Antler to halo the entire Centennial year and embody the passion, heart, grit and tradition that fuels the franchise and permeates the city. The perfect mantra for the occasion, “Blood, Sweat & 100 Years” would serve as a rallying cry and the “gold thread” connecting all campaign elements, with a tone that was relatable and enjoyable for both longstanding, diehard fans and younger, new audiences across a variety of mediums and channels.
With the brand platform locked, the team set out to develop a Centennial campaign that would be one-of-a-kind, never-before-seen special, effectively positioning the Bruins to achieve several key objectives, including:
To deliver a celebration fitting for 100 years, the Bruins created a robust calendar of cross-channel campaign activations and content, mapping out key moments and opportunities to engage fans, players, alumni and the Boston community.
The campaign timeline was extensive, stretching from an early 2023 soft launch to a December 2024 conclusion, marking the club's 100th anniversary. But the team knew the first few months were most critical in setting the tone for “Blood, Sweat & 100 Years.” Just like on the ice, the Bruins had to start strong and finish strong.
“Blood, Sweat & 100 Years” efforts launched in 2023 included:
Brand Identity – The team created a new brand identity and a suite of assets and graphics that would stand out across all channels – digital, social, merchandise, out-of-home, signage, and more.
“Centennial Takeoff” Fashion Show – The club needed an unforgettable way to unveil three uniforms and a merchandise collection before the season. So, the Bruins partnered with JetBlue and took over a Logan Airport hangar, transforming it into a production space akin to New York Fashion Week. The event featured an emcee, models strutting the runway in 30+ elevated fan looks, and Bruins players unveiling the new jerseys, leaving 500 fans on-site and thousands following along online in awe.
“Heritage Homecoming Week” – Kicking off the season with a bang, the Bruins welcomed 50+ alumni representing all generations of Bruins hockey back to TD Garden. Hundreds of fans and press lined a “gold carpet” as VIP alumni made their ceremonial entrance on Opening Night.
“Stitches” Short Film – GYK Antler created a long-form spot that served as the anthem for the Centennial, honoring 100 years of Bruins hockey and fans of all ages. It debuted on Opening Night via digital/social and broadcast and plays in-arena for home games.
“Rafters Reunion” – A ceremonial gathering of Stanley Cup Champions and retired number alumni culminated in an emotional stick salute and live unveiling of a 71’x46’ banner to signify that the Centennial celebration was officially underway.
“All-Centennial Team” Selection – Comprising the most legendary players in franchise history as voted upon by historians, journalists and members of the hockey community, team selection was announced at a Centennial Gala and livestreamed via Bruins social.
Era Nights – A multi-medium effort including a unique alumni-fan experience, merchandise collection, and content honoring and reminiscing every era of Bruins hockey. The team selected Era Nights dates that aligned with games against “Original Six” opponents and kept special guests and happenings secret, creating anticipation among fans about what each night would bring. “The Big Bad Bruins” Era Night, for example, featured a goosebump-inducing moment with Bobby Orr raising his 1970/1972 Stanley Cup Championship banners to the Garden rafters.
“Cue the Memories” Podcast – Aligned with Era Nights, this series on YouTube, Apple Podcast and Spotify features interviews with Bruins alumni. The night before the game, fans can join a meet and greet with Bruins greats and attend a live recording of the podcast.
Only a few months in, “Blood, Sweat & 100 Years” has surpassed every objective and expectation.
Business Barnburner – TD Garden is on a sellout streak, with the Bruins boasting their highest attendance rate in six seasons, and skyrocketing retail revenue. The Bruins increased their Forbes franchise valuation +36% YOY to $1.9B for a top-5 league ranking.
Content Power-Play – The Bruins rank #1 in NHL social engagement and valuation with 16.8M+ total engagements and $9.6M in total post valuation for the first half of the season (9/15-1/1). Centennial content (350+ posts) has driven 35.7M+ impressions, with overall engagement increasing +64% over the 2021-2022 season.
Protecting the Brand House – The Bruins used YouGov BrandIndex to evaluate brand health and lift attributable to the Centennial and found they outpace “Original Six” U.S.-based teams by a whopping 10 points.
