The New York Rangers are an NHL team with a lengthy history, and over the years there have been many different ways that the organization has marketed themselves for fans. One of the more recent, and effective campaigns, was the identity of Rangerstown. It was something the team used to brand Madison Square Garden, pop up watch events, and other interactive gatherings come playoff times, and it was most memorable through a series of television commercials that ran throughout the season.
Rangerstown tried to make the point that for fans the Rangers could be in their lives no matter where you lived, and they hammered home that concept through a series of different commercials featuring some of the players who were on the roster at the time.
This commercial featured team captain Ryan Callahan, alternate captain Dan Girardi, alternate captain Brad Richards, and a very young Derek Stepan who was still trying to make a name for himself in the league. It is a simple and funny commercial, and just one of the many that would air over the years.
The campaign evolved as the team added new players, and here Stepan appears again but this time he was joined by Rick Nash who was a major trade acquisition in 2012, and Martin St. Louis who joined the team ahead of their run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2014.
One of the major stars of this advertising campaign was Henrik Lundqvist, a fact that should surprise no one. He featured in a few different commercials, including one featuring him as a barber, and another as him being a great help around the house.
Kevin Klein, a player who was a quality defender during his time on Broadway, also appeared in this commercial, although he didn't get much to do with all the fans wanting to get their hair done like No. 30.
This commercial really sums up Lundqvist and just how seemingly perfect he is. There seems to be nothing he can't do, and this hammers the point home loud and clear.
One of my favorite commercials of this campaign features the trio of Carl Hagelin, Mats Zucarello, and Derick Brassard, and they showed off great chemistry in this ad spot which makes a ton of sense given how close they were both on and off the ice. It is one I remember getting played over and over again, and still makes me laugh to this day.
Another memorable commercial featured no former Ranger, that's something that is still hard to get used to, Chris Kreider. It also included Dominic Moore who was part of a whole other memorable ad campaign when he was a rookie over 20 years ago.
Kreider was a man of many talents, and the earnestness in which he portrays himself in this commercial is very believable and pretty endearing. He has a talent for this, and it's a shame he wasn't featured in many other of these spots.
Lastly, we end with one featuring another player who went on to be a captain, Ryan McDonagh. In this spot he gets to play the role of "driving instructor" and it plays out exactly how you think a hockey themed commercial about driving would.
Taking a Zamboni out on the street certainly was one of the more ambitious things the Rangers did during this campaign, and I appreciate the effort and execution here. There are probably others out there, I am appreciate that YouTube had as many of these as it did.
Overall, Rangerstown as an ad campaign, team identity, and overall vibe was pretty fun. It focuses on an era of the team that had a lot of overall success, and did everything but win the ultimate prize. Seeing the personality of players and them involved in different scenarios was enjoyable, and it allowed fans to relate more to them.
I hope the Rangers as an organization can get back to this type of fun, especially when you consider some of the talent they have on the roster. It would be a great way to show a different side of the players, and a way to highlight what the organization hopes will be a return to prominence.