You searched for new era cap - The Martin Group

Maximizing the impact of a headwear icon.

Challenge

A partner for nearly 20 years, New Era Cap, an iconic global sports and lifestyle brand, leans on The Martin Group’s expertise to amplify its brand through innovative campaigns merging sports, fashion, and culture. On the creative side, this includes more than 40 programs, 15 video/photo shoots, and 10,000 assets managed and produced yearly, as New Era has evolved from a cap manufacturer to a global lifestyle brand.

Our public relations experience dates back five years and regularly helps position New Era at the intersection of sports and culture, including multiple major 2024 initiatives such as the 70th anniversary of the legendary 59FIFTY fitted cap, the launch of the 2024 MLB Batting Practice collection, and new partnership with the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee, the NHL and the NFL Scouting Combine. For these campaigns and others, The Martin Group utilized strategic product seeding to drive awareness, celebrate New Era’s rich history, highlight its cultural significance, and generate excitement for its latest products.

Solution

For the 70th Anniversary Campaign, The Martin Group conducted in-depth research with New Era’s brand historian to highlight the 59FIFTY cap’s legacy in both sports and culture. Targeted media pitches were developed, securing placements in key outlets such as Complex, Hypebeast, and MLB.com. Additionally, The Martin Group secured local engagement with a “59FIFTY Day” proclamation in Buffalo, N.Y., while coordinating public relations efforts around the release of the “The 59FIFTY Story” documentary during MLB All-Star Week.

For the 2024 MLB Batting Practice Collection launch, The Martin Group created storytelling-driven media materials that tied each team’s cap design to its unique history. The campaign was executed with a phased launch, building excitement through targeted media outreach, social buzz, and product seeding. These efforts successfully generated awareness and excitement for New Era’s milestones and product offerings.

Results

Using influencer seeding and strategic partnerships to further drive visibility with celebrities and cultural icons showcasing New Era products – as well as our consistent, strategic media relations outreach – The Martin Group continues to exceed objectives. The two campaigns described above yielded nearly $1.2 million in publicity value alone and complemented New Era’s efforts with paid media to position the brand as a cutting-edge tastemaker in sports and fashion.

You searched for new era cap - The Martin Group

Jesse Ladoue McMullen is the Marketing Director, Licensed Sports for New Era Cap, the international sports and lifestyle brand. She began with the company in October 2017 as the Marketing Manager, Baseball. A new mom, she talks about how she crafted her return to work along with why she always reads the comments and what has her excited about the future at New Era.

1. What challenges have you faced as a woman in a sports/sports-related career and how have you approached them?

I once got into a debate with a former supervisor about a novelty sports event. At the conclusion he said, “That just shows you know nothing about sports.” I was speechless considering that my resumé and life experience say otherwise. It was a harsh realization that there are always going to be people within the sports space – male or female – that look down on you if you don’t have a comparable history on the field or court. It’s important to note that this person never participated in this event either, but felt they were more proficient on the topic regardless. That taught me that if my physical experience will never match what some consider “acceptable” within the sports industry, I have to rely on my knowledge.

I spend a significant amount of my personal time on sports publication sites and accounts to ensure I am up-to-date on league and player updates and topics. Anecdotally, each league has their own version of the game “wordle” to help guess players based on position, team and other clues. I play those every morning to stay sharp on current rosters!

2. As a new mom, how has the experience been of returning to work?

I need to acknowledge that I am very fortunate in my situation. My husband has a flexible schedule and we have a supportive family unit. I know that is not the norm for most women. I love what I do so that definitely makes the separation easier.

Practically, however, I have done three things differently. The first is I have shifted my in-office schedule. I start my day at 7 a.m. This gives me a head start to attack emails or other administrative functions prior to everyone else being in the office. By shifting forward I get more awake time with my daughter before her early bedtime. That has made me feel so much more fulfilled and I’m grateful for the flexibility. Second, I have empowered my team to start traveling more for our routine events that I would have attended in the past. During my maternity leave, they proved to be more than capable and I leaned into that when I returned. Finally, for the higher profile moments in sports, I would have been out of town for several days. Instead, we are splitting time amongst the team. So I’m not necessarily taking fewer trips, just shorter ones.

3. What do you think is the biggest barrier in driving the visibility of women’s sports?

Media coverage is a huge barrier in women’s sports. In 2019, over 90% of TV coverage of sports was focused on men. How can women’s sports grow without exposure? The more fans are introduced to faces, names, teams, rivalries, etc. the more they will continue to connect and invest time and money into women’s sports. Metrics are favorable. When women’s sporting events are shown in primetime placements, their numbers are growing – the Women’s World Cup, College Softball World Series, WNBA Draft and March Madness come to mind most recently.

4. What advice would you give to any woman starting out or trying to break down barriers in a male dominated industry?

Read the comments. Now, this one requires a thick skin, but you need to face it head-on. Every time I see an article about women breaking barriers in sports, I take a deep breath in and read the comments. It’s a painful process filled with unkind words about how unqualified the person is, how it shouldn’t be newsworthy, how it’s just to meet a quota. I know differently. Reading the comments fuels me and makes me want to celebrate women louder. It motivates me to continue to forge my own path so more women see themselves in this industry without limitation.

5. What project are you working on now (career or personal) that has you most excited?

Since the start of COVID, our marketing team has gone back to basics, focusing on efficiencies and process. Now that we are starting to feel more comfortable in sports schedules and in-person events, we are back to big picture ideating. One of New Era’s biggest opportunities is our apparel business. We are known for our quality in headwear, but our apparel is spectacular as well. Building that marketing plan has been a departure from what we have been laser-focused on, but a really exciting challenge.

You searched for new era cap - The Martin Group

Crafting the right fit at the intersection of sports and culture.

In an effort to bring all of New Era Cap’s sports affiliations under one narrative umbrella, New Era Cap asked The Martin Group to concept, produce and execute tactics for their upcoming “Fit For Glory” campaign. Marketing across all NFL, MLB and NBA on-field/court cap moments throughout the year, our team was tasked with coordinating the on-location multi-day shoot and bringing the entire concept to life through compelling, dramatic visuals. The work was unleashed coast-to-coast across stadiums, retail locations and personal screens.

“Fit For Glory” focused on capturing the emotion inside sport’s biggest moments. With dramatic black and white imagery set on each athlete’s natural stage—professional-grade courts, fields and diamonds—the team at The Martin Group connected each epic moment to the on-field cap of the heroes themselves.

You searched for new era cap - The Martin Group

When New Era Cap Company – the largest sports-licensed headwear company in the world and the official on-field cap of Major League Baseball – needed high-impact campaigns to promote its legendary, authentic MLB caps, they turned to The Martin Group.

After creating the identity for New Era’s revolutionary new performance cap technology and designing all its ads in MLB team programs, we crafted a multifaceted promotion for the 2009 baseball season, The New Era Call-Up, which gave fans the chance to win a VIP experience at the ’09 All-Star Game in St. Louis.

You searched for new era cap - The Martin Group

As the Official On-Field Cap of Major League Baseball and the MLB All-Star Game, New Era Cap turned to TMG to lead the creative for the latter event’s limited edition 59FIFTY® cap. Playing off of New Era’s trademark statement and the cap’s dual striped design, we developed the headline “This is the Cap That Shows You’ve Earned Your Stripes.” The striped design, reminiscent of the look on the “pillbox cap” worn in the game’s early days, was also incorporated into the backdrop of posters and web graphics. One of the “classic” teams, the Cincinnati Reds, served as the foundation for much of the creative with images of Reds’ stadium desaturated and given an archival look to give the campaign a vintage feeling. The red and black of the All-Star Game logo was a guide for the some of the limited edition product lines (Fan Pack and Home Run Derby) as well as some of our creative execution.

You searched for new era cap - The Martin Group

Announcing Josh Allen’s big new role.

Challenge
When New Era Cap named Buffalo Bills quarterback and reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen as its newest equity partner—and gave him the tongue-in-cheek title of “Director of Billustration”—the moment called for more than a press release. It needed content that could rise to the occasion. The Martin Group was tasked with creating a launch video that captured Allen’s personality, reflected the magnitude of the news, and connected with fans, media, and the community. And with just days from briefing to shoot, the assignment was as urgent as it was ambitious.

Solution
Our creative and production teams got to work developing a format that blended scripted humor with everyday workplace relatability while also ensuring we maximized our two-hour shooting window with Allen. We created short, lighthearted scenarios starring the beloved quarterback to bring his “Director of Billustration” role to life that could be featured separately for ongoing social content. We also held mock interviews with his “bosses” at New Era for an additional comedic layer and to allow us to stitch our scenarios into a longer story for the official announcement video. Between scripting and storyboarding, directing and filming with Buffalo-based cinematographer Torrey Johnson, and post-production, our team owned the process from start to finish—delivering a polished, entertaining announcement video on a lightning-fast timeline.

Results
The announcement video and overall campaign debuted on 716 Day (named for Buffalo’s area code and taking place on July 16) and immediately made waves across the region and beyond. National outlets including Sports Illustrated, Yahoo, Sporting News, and Fox Business covered the story, while the first run of Billustration hats sold out within hours of launch. Using Josh’s hand-drawn Bills logo that has garnered viral fame among Buffalo fans, New Era also partnered with Oishei Children’s Hospital to auction off hats designed by their patients, which raised more than $12,000 each thanks in large part to this launch’s massive social and digital reach. For New Era, the campaign generated the buzz they were hoping for and reinforced their reputation as a leading sports apparel brand. For us and our Bills-obsessed colleagues, it was an opportunity we won’t forget.

You searched for new era cap - The Martin Group

Challenge

New Era Cap, an iconic global sports and lifestyle brand, leaned on its established relationships and The Martin Group’s expertise to amplify its brand through innovative campaigns merging sports, fashion, and culture, including two major initiatives – the 70th anniversary of the legendary 59FIFTY fitted cap and the launch of the 2024 MLB Batting Practice collection. For both campaigns, The Martin Group utilized strategic product seeding to drive awareness, celebrate New Era’s rich history, highlight its cultural significance, and generate excitement for its latest products.

Solution

Through strategic research and planning, The Martin Group crafted tailored campaigns to meet New Era’s objectives. For the 70th Anniversary Campaign, The Martin Group conducted in-depth research with New Era’s brand historian to highlight the 59FIFTY cap’s legacy in both sports and culture. Targeted media pitches were developed, securing placements in key outlets such as Complex, Hypebeast, and MLB.com. Additionally, The Martin Group secured local engagement with a “59FIFTY Day” proclamation in Buffalo, N.Y., while coordinating public relations efforts around the release of the “The 59FIFTY Story” documentary during MLB All-Star Week.

For the 2024 MLB Batting Practice Collection launch, The Martin Group created storytelling-driven media materials that tied each team’s cap design to its unique history. The campaign was executed with a phased launch, building excitement through targeted media outreach, social buzz, and product seeding. These efforts successfully generated awareness and excitement for New Era’s milestones and product offerings.

Results

The Martin Group exceeded objectives across both initiatives, achieving significant coverage and engagement:

• 70th Anniversary Campaign: 750 media mentions, a reach of 382 million, and a publicity value of $500,456.
• MLB Collection Launch: 381 media placements, a reach of 230.9 million, and an estimated publicity value of $679,093.
• Influencer seeding and strategic partnerships further drove visibility, with celebrities and cultural icons showcasing New Era products.

You searched for new era cap - The Martin Group

Bringing New Era into the AI era.

Challenge

New Era’s NFL Sideline program isn’t just another product campaign. It’s one of the brand’s most visible and revenue-driving initiatives for the biggest sports league in the world. Which is why they asked The Martin Group to “think outside the box” for their 2024 collection launch. They needed a concept that would be bold enough to turn heads at retail while remaining flexible enough to scale across all 32 NFL teams. Creative that would resonate with league ambassadors, retail buyers, and fans—while standing apart from a long line of past executions. And with a growing number of league programs launching each season, it was essential that our approach not only pushed the work forward, but reinforced New Era’s leadership in the category.

Solution

We started with a desire to capture the larger-than-life, often surreal styling of ‘80s and ‘90s sports media. How could we draw inspiration in a way that felt modern and relevant today? That idea led us to experiment with generative AI—using it as a visual springboard to spark epic interpretations of each team’s home environment. A snow-covered tundra filled with buffalo for Buffalo. Cowboys roaming the desert outside AT&T Stadium for Dallas. Fighter jets soaring through the skies for New York. After creating the initial scenes, we partnered with illustrators and designers to refine each environment and place star athletes in the foregrounds, turning them into fully ownable backdrops. The final creative gave New Era a flexible, ownable look for their NFL Sideline campaign, with assets that scaled across athlete content, product showcases, and social rollouts.

Results

Our 2024 NFL Sideline campaign exceeded expectations—earning praise from our clients, retailers, league partners, and brand ambassadors. The concept was extended to promote New Era’s Cold Weather product line, and the campaign earned multiple wins at the Buffalo American Advertising Awards (ADDYs). More importantly, it showcased our ability to blend emerging tech with real human insight to create compelling work for the brands we partner with.

You searched for new era cap - The Martin Group

Finding a new niche.

Challenge

For New Era Cap, there are very few existing markets of which they don’t already own a considerable share. However, in 2023, they identified an opportunity in the “athleisure” space where a new offering could appeal to a very targeted audience, the Essential Athletic persona. This is “an active alpha spending money on elevated products.” Leveraging new materials, focused on performance, comfort, and wearability, the 9SEVENTY silhouette was born.

Solution

As a long-standing client, New Era came to their trusted partner, The Martin Group, for help. They tasked our team with concepting the art direction and managing the logistics of a five-day video and photography production to generate assets for the entire 9SEVENTY launch. Through the initial brief, we understood the objective: capture models wearing the new product in six different locations/destinations. To help streamline the process, our creative team provided reference imagery and overall direction to our vendors, plus provided onset direction for each location. Our internal production team managed every aspect of the shoot. From vetting photographers, casting models, and connecting with vendors, to building out schedules, identifying travel needs, procuring wardrobe, and more. Over three (very full) days between Los Angeles and San Diego, the shoot would navigate from hiking trail to lake shore, golf course, beach, tailgate, and poolside. All with multiple models, wardrobe changes, and product samples.

Results

As the campaign launched, the client utilized dozens of assets from the collective shoots— both video and still photography. The 9SEVENTY collection saw promotion across platforms and client feedback was very positive as they expressed their happiness with the process and quality of content we captured.