STRAUSS x Major League Baseball
When STRAUSS made the decision to become the first Postseason helmet sponsor in Major League Baseball history, the German workwear giant asked WestWord for support. STRAUSS and MLB announced the partnership in September 2024, and by the end of the baseball season in October, WestWord had worked on a number of different aspects of the project, both strategically and creatively.
Creative
The collaboration between MLB and STRAUSS produced several creative assets, the most resource intensive of which were several videos highlighting the partnership. WestWord met frequently with the stakeholders at MLB and STRAUSS to develop the strategic approach and the scripts for these video assets. The results highlight the workmanship, teamwork, and dedication that can be found in ballparks and on worksites across the USA, promoting both STRAUSS and the MLB Postseason in the process.
Slogan Development
With a new campaign comes new creatives and new slogans. STRAUSS leadership wanted a slogan that spoke directly to baseball fans by incorporating the uniquely American vernacular around the national pastime. STRAUSS also wanted the slogan to reference equipment or workwear, and feel positive and aspirational without being overly masculine. What we came up with is deceptively simple, ticking all the necessary boxes in a package that’s short, punchy, and full of meaning:
Gear up. Go yard.
PR and Messaging
Working closely with the PR team at Major League Baseball, WestWord spearheaded the communications strategy behind the STRAUSS helmet campaign. We developed strategies around messaging, positioning, and dealing with negativity. Once the partnership was announced, we helped STRAUSS land stories in the world’s leading sports and business publications. We assisted STRAUSS leadership as they navigated the US press, helping to craft a message that met STRAUSS’ strategic goals while introducing the brand to millions of new potential customers. The end result was a campaign that saw the story of STRAUSS’ MLS helmet sponsorship reach an audience projected to be well over a billion.
