Case Study: TBS generates buzz for NFL Sunday Night Football with Division of Labor

TBS boosts Sunday Night Football buzz with Division of Labor and wins a huge audience

The customer, NBC Sports (TBS), tasked the vendor, Division of Labor, with a creative team to develop a highly promotable spot for a marquee Sunday Night Football matchup between Tom Brady and Patrick Mahomes. Their challenge was to create significant pre-game hype and talk value around this iconic game, moving beyond mere football stats to capture emotion and generate press.

Division of Labor developed a strategy centered on a cover of Neil Young's "Old Man," which perfectly framed the narrative of the veteran versus the rising star. The vendor secured the song rights and facilitated a last-minute recording by Beck after the original artist dropped out. The solution was a major success, earning a Grammy nomination for Beck, extensive positive press, and praise from NBC's commentators. The accompanying game was a huge ratings success, achieving big numbers for the network.

TBS