Natalie Opp
Senior Production Designer
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A production expert with an eye for detail, Natalie Opp’s inspiration to work in marketing came from her parents and their design careers. Before joining our team, she spent time as a production graphic designer for New Era Cap where she worked on large campaigns for major sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, and MLB. As a Senior Production Designer at The Martin Group, Natalie focuses on designing and producing a wide variety of visual materials while maintaining brand consistency. Outside of work, her life revolves around Nash, her golden retriever, who loves going to his grandparents’ house and swimming all summer long.
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This summer’s FIFA Club World Cup delivered a memorable spectacle—complete with underdog stories, unexpected endings, attention-grabbing off-field drama, and world-class on-field performances. It also gave America a much-needed dress rehearsal for next summer’s World Cup.
The recently concluded FIFA Club World Cup—which saw Chelsea prevail over a field of 32 teams—was pitched as an ideal preview to the forthcoming 2026 tourney. It certainly provided a small glimpse of the action and fanfare that will fill various North American stadiums.
I had the chance to catch a couple of the matches, and I can attest to the atmosphere. Even as a Liverpool supporter, I couldn’t help but be struck by the droves of Real Madrid fans singing “Hala Madrid.”
Between the camaraderie, the sing-a-longs, the action on the pitch, and an average of around 40K fans at each match, there was real electricity, despite the headlines about empty seats early in the tournament. Along with my colleagues at The Martin Group, we can’t wait to see what’s in store for host cities like New York-New Jersey, Boston, Toronto, and Philadelphia once Cup action starts next June. If you live in the Northeast, like most of our team does, you’ll be within a relatively short drive or train ride from some of the biggest soccer matches our continent has ever seen.
For integrated communications firms like ours, our World Cup curiosity isn’t just because we’re sports fans. In recent years, we’ve worked with global brands like New Era Cap, Under Armour, and Nike; and over the past year, we have worked with Buffalo Pro Soccer to launch one of the newest additions to the USL Championship, coming in 2027. We’ve also partnered with brands outside of the traditional sports business to grow the impact of their sports partnerships. We understand this brand space well—but our interest is bigger than that.
This summer’s tournament—as well as the last two men’s and women’s World Cup affairs—provided learnings that can be instructive for our clients across all industries over the next 10 months and throughout next summer’s matches. This is inarguably the biggest sporting event in the world, and though just one nation will get to hoist the all-important trophy, there’s much at stake for companies in North America and far beyond. Billions of dollars in sales and exposure are on the line, as well as news opportunities, can’t-miss brand activations, customer breakthroughs, viral moments, and a wave of trends that could take shape between the tourney’s first and last goals.
So what have we learned that can guide strategies or give businesses and organizations a head start at becoming a part of the World Cup conversation? Let’s consider the following:
Ad lesson: The audience will be there. So will the money.
The 2022 World Cup generated an estimated $214 million in television ad revenue across the U.S., and companies across the globe spent an estimated $3 billion in the global ad industry during the 2018 World Cup. There’s a very simple reason for this spend: An escalating interest from potential customers. 2022’s tournament reached an estimated five billion people across the globe, more than a billion more than the 2018 World Cup; and the 2023 Women’s World Cup was watched by an estimated two billion as well. As for this past 2026 Club World Cup, nearly 2.5 million fans attended games in person, with another two billion watching on television or online.
These are real numbers, and all for a sport that’s (finally—what were you waiting for?) surging in popularity across the U.S. With companies like Nike spending nearly $148 million on the last World Cup, numbers for businesses of all sizes will likely surge for 2026, all based on the prospective audience in specific U.S., Canada, and Mexico locations, and around the world. The in-person, online, and broadcast attention lured by the Club World Cup—and year-round by MLS, NWSL, USL, and leagues globally—confirm that interest isn’t relegated to once every four years, either.
It’s now an overall interest in the game—and brands should be eager to become a part of the action.
PR lesson: Unifying event that brings global reach and local impact
The FIFA World Cup provides the opportunity to get brands in front of massive audiences, creating an incredibly large stage for public relations campaigns of all shapes and sizes.
The previously listed figures detail the number of eyeballs that could see brand messaging that’s connected with, adjacent to, or loosely linked with any element of World Cup action. It’s an association with something inherently beloved and unifying—at a time when media is more fragmented than ever and political postures are deeply entrenched. Through World Cup activations, brands can shape or transform their identity to mirror the essence of the event.
If you have a presence in one of the host cities—or the budget to launch activations in a host city—your opportunity to reach national and global audiences is only limited by your ingenuity and creativity. Consider these examples.
Michelob ULTRA went all out for the FIFA Club World Cup, launching their “Pitchside Club” in Midtown Manhattan — complete with media partnerships and brand collabs. The club featured a Hypebeast Kit Bar and hosted a live recording of the Men in Blazers podcast — two media platforms that are shaping soccer culture. The activation gained traction with earned and social media coverage.
Allstate took a different approach. They built on their partnership with U.S. Men’s National Team star and native Upstate New Yorker Tyler Adams, creating a community moment that could be linked to this past summer’s other major soccer tournament, the Concacaf Gold Cup. Working with Adams, Black Star, and the U.S. Soccer Foundation, Allstate debuted a new mini-pitch near Philadelphia as part of a multi-year commitment to increase access to safe play spaces in underserved communities. Making a difference by working together, this moment generated coverage and delivers a meaningful impact.
Those are big activations that required investments, but don’t let it intimidate you. Instead, extract the two lessons these activations provide — create experiences that facilitate authentic connections and find ways to deliver community impact through sports—especially if you can team up with an athlete.
If we look closer to home, Independent Health has made a massive difference for local kids through the Soccer for Success program that its foundation leads. And M&T Bank built a 40-year partnership with the Buffalo Bills (American football, as they say) to create real impact in Western New York, often alongside Bills players and legends.
Get creative in developing PR activations that can authentically connect your brand to fans ahead of the World Cup, and remember opportunities aren’t limited to host cities or the biggest companies. In your community, people will be looking for soccer experiences and ways to engage with fans closer to home.
A community financial institution could hold a workshop offering best practices on how to save for World Cup travel. A grocery store could promote international gameday recipes with an activation that creates a tailgate atmosphere outside their store. There’s also an abundance of opportunities to partner with local pro clubs and invest in youth programs and leagues.
This is just the beginning of America’s soccer movement — the World Cup is just your opportunity to get started if you haven’t already.
Social media lesson: Activate your influencers (and TikTok)
If recent World Cup and Club World Cup action is any indication, social media—and companies’ ability to use it well—will be a big factor for those looking to be a part of the 2026 conversation.
In 2022, World Cup action elicited nearly 94 million posts across all platforms, resulting in almost six billion engagements. The 2023 Women’s World Cup generated more than 185 million actions across all platforms, with the final match drawing 17 million actions and making TikTok the go-to platform for game video views. Throughout the recent Club World Cup, FIFA spent a significant portion of its $50 million marketing spend on social media, including partnerships with Instagram influencers across various interests to assure a diverse audience—and to grow its traditional fanbase.
When it comes to TikTok and its growth since the last FIFA World Cup, the platform has nearly doubled in global users in just three years, now boasting more than 1.5 billion. Over the past few years, this rise has brought unique value to sporting events, with its short-form video fare, fan interaction capabilities, and ability to generate live-event buzz. It brings more online culture to real-life sports moments. Businesses and organizations looking to enhance their reach should explore the platform and connect with its audience. And they should get started now, with still some time to spare before the tournament kicks off.
And when considering soccer’s global audience—and their central nature to this World Cup conversation—I call back to the words of Meg Kane, World Cup host city executive in Philadelphia. When asked by The Athletic about the top takeaway from this summer’s recent matches, Kane said, “If there’s any lesson from the Club World Cup, it is that fans win the day—so lean into that.”
The fans are the customers. The fans are the atmosphere. The fans are the market. The fans want your brand to do something new, something unique that will elevate their World Cup experience.
If this guides all strategy, then big gains can be made in and around The Beautiful Game.
Want to learn more about The Martin Group’s diverse array of work in the sports world? Click here.
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Last month, our public relations team came together for the Rochester Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Chapter’s annual PRism Awards ceremony to celebrate the region’s top PR campaigns. In a room full of incredibly talented communicators and fellow storytellers, we were proud to take home 13 PRism Awards for an array of client work over the last year.
Madeline Rickett—a four-year veteran at The Martin Group—shined at this year’s ceremony. While earning the coveted Rising Star Award for demonstrating exceptional skills and leadership potential in public relations, she had the opportunity to address the crowd and thank her biggest supporters as she reflected on her PR career thus far.
The Martin Group received recognition for client work and campaigns with Ralph Wilson Park Conservancy/ Carver Companies, Greenlight Networks, M&T Bank, New Era Cap, PaintCare, Tops Friendly Markets, and Student Transportation of America (STA). We also earned a nod for our own blog/newsletter and the “She’s Got Next” blog series, a passion project we created to amplify the voices of women in sports.
Each submission was judged based on research, planning, execution, and evaluation—and only one PRism and one Award of Excellence was given for each category. The PR team received the following awards:
- Rising Star Award: Madeline Rickett, Public Relations Specialist
- PRism, Corporate Category, Media Relations: M&T Bank Rallies Community to “Billieve” Together
- PRism, Corporate Category, Issues/Reputation/Brand Management: Student Transportation of America Accelerates its Brand with Regional Media Relations
- PRism, Corporate Category, Blogs and Blogger Campaigns: The “She’s Got Next” Blog Series
- PRism, Not-for-Profit Category, Advertorial: PaintCare’s Paint Recycling:
Transforming Waste into Opportunity
- PRism, Corporate Category, Feature Stories: STA Grants Special Wish to Young Akron Man
- PRism, Corporate Category, Press Conferences: Greenlight and Ross Park Zoo Unveil High-Speed Internet Partnership
- PRism, Corporate Category, Speeches: Greenlight and Ross Park Zoo Unveil High-Speed Internet Partnership
- PRism, Corporate Category, Events and Observances: M&T Bank, Tops Friendly Markets Provide Gift of Warmth to Combat Homelessness Across Upstate New York
- PRism, Corporate Category, Newsletters: The Martin Group’s Monthly Newsletter
- Award of Excellence, Corporate Category, Community Relations: Transporting a Transformative Bridge Across New York State
- Award of Excellence, Corporate Category, Marketing: Greenlight Networks Connects New York State Communities
- Award of Excellence, Corporate Category, Integrated Communications: New Era Cap Crowns Josh Allen “The Don” of Bills Mafia
As Madeline said during her acceptance speech, we’re grateful to be surrounded by so many smart people—the creative ideas and hard work we put in for our clients just wouldn’t be possible without it.
Congrats to all the winners, and we’ll see you next year.
Want to learn more about The Martin Group’s work? Click here.
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While we look ahead to sunnier (and warmer) days, we also wanted to reflect on the last few months at The Martin Group. Spoiler alert: The record-breaking rain we’ve gotten across Upstate New York hasn’t been the only thing making waves.
Our public relations and public affairs teams have been hard at work over the last several months earning coverage and making a difference for our clients.
From celebrating big moments like the NFL Draft to championing the commitment of a family that serves the student transportation industry in Texas, our team is digging deep into local markets and partnering with top-level national media to drive positive coverage outcomes for companies and organizations of all sizes.
Interested in learning more about everything we’ve been up to? Look no further. Our latest Headliners are below.
New Yankee Devin Williams is happy to have his beard back
GQ – March 28, 2025
Newly pinstriped pitcher Devin Williams made headlines this winter when he advocated for a change to the New York Yankees’ personal appearance policy. But just weeks before “well-groomed” beards were officially welcomed back in the Bronx, our client Beard Club delivered a letter to Williams, graciously declining his request for a trimmer so that he could comply with his team’s clean-shaven tradition. Instead, Beard Club encouraged Williams to take a stand. The rest is history. Our team helped Beard Club publicize its relationship with Williams through a lifestyle-focused profile in GQ, while bringing attention to the entire behind-the-scenes story via NJBIZ.
New York nursing homes urge governor to address funding crisis
WRGB – April 3, 2025
Nursing homes across Upstate New York are grappling with a severe financial crisis, driven by chronically low Medicaid reimbursement rates set by state officials. We’ve worked with Andy Cruikshank, CEO of Fort Hudson Health System, to help emphasize the difficult reality many facilities now face. “It’s hard to explain to a family why we can’t care for their loved one in the community they’ve called home for generations,” he said. Cruikshank pointed to New York State’s Medicaid system as the root of the problem. Nursing homes haven’t seen a meaningful increase in Medicaid funding to match the rising cost of care since 2007. This is more than a budget issue — it’s a community crisis. As these institutions struggle to stay afloat, the future of elder care in Upstate New York hangs in the balance.
Children at Albany Med’s Melodies Center enjoy crafts with Double H Ranch visit
WRGB – April 15, 2025
Young patients at the Melodies Center at Albany Med experienced a day of creativity and joy as representatives from Double H Ranch visited to lead them in crafts and activities. Double H Ranch, a camp in Lake Luzerne for children with chronic and serious illness, offers its services free of charge. As part of their outreach programs, they visit hospitals like Albany Med’s Melodies Center to bring fun to the bedsides and playrooms of hospital patients and their families. Through our work with Corinne Lafayette, Double H Ranch Outreach Program Manager, we were able to share the story of how meaningful these visits can be.
USA Football named governing body ahead of flag football’s Olympic debut
AXIOS – April 17, 2025
All eyes will be on the (flag) football field during the next Summer Olympics. And this spring, the United States Olympic and Paralympic committees officially certified USA Football as the sport’s national governing body. The significance? USA Football will select, train, and lead the men’s and women’s U.S. national teams for international competition, including at the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. The Martin Group worked with USA Football to amplify this historic moment, securing placements in national outlets such as AXIOS to reach audiences beyond die-hard sports fans. Meanwhile, in-person opportunities with the TODAY Show and SiriusXM’s NFL Radio, plus a celebratory moment on the diamond at Citi Field, ensured exposure to USA Football’s core audiences. In all, USA Football’s announcement reached more than 275 million people via nearly 230 pieces of regional and national coverage.
Generations in gear: A bus driver bond
WFAA – April 22, 2025
Student Transportation of America (STA) has many exceptional drivers, but when our team learned about this mother-daughter duo from Dallas, we knew their story needed to be shared. Jocelyn Yates has been with GoldStar Transit (GST), an STA company, for six years, balancing her career while raising three boys as a single mother. What started as a way to support her family with flexible hours, has grown into a rewarding career. Jocelyn began working behind the wheel as a driver, but was recently promoted to dispatcher, where she helps students get to and from school safely while supporting drivers on the road. She’s also a second-generation GST driver, following in the footsteps of her mother, Marvel Warner, who shares a passion for the job, knowing that a friendly, reliable driver can make a difference in a child’s day. Now, a third generation is stepping in; Jocelyn’s son currently works as a monitor on special needs buses and hopes to become a driver himself one day. For this family, driving a school bus isn’t just a job, it’s a way to make a lasting impact on children’s lives.
SUNY school works to address surveyor shortage
Spectrum News – April 24, 2025
Surveying land is more than just property lines. For example, almost no construction projects can happen without a survey. Surveying is a career that blends technology, environmental awareness, and real-world impact. Officials with the New York State Association of Professional Land Surveyors (NYSAPLS) say there is a massive need for workers as people are retiring at a much faster rate than those coming in. Our team has worked to help tell the story of SUNY ESF Ranger School in Wanakena, in the Adirondacks. They’re one of only two brick-and-mortar schools in the state that offer surveying education, and luckily, they’ve seen a bit of an uptick in enrollment over the last few years. As more students discover its importance — and its potential — the hope is that this critical profession will continue to thrive, one new surveyor at a time.
How baseball hats became a key element of the NFL Draft, plus the changes for 2025
The Athletic – April 25, 2025
The NFL Draft is one of the most special moments in a young athlete’s career – and New Era Cap has contributed in a major way since 2012. Each year, New Era’s team comes up with a new design, bringing something fresh to fans and players not only across the country, but across the globe. After a player’s name is called, they almost immediately place the cap of their new team on their head, marking their transition into the pros. 2012 was a pivotal year for New Era – not only were they supplying the on-stage caps for the NFL Draft, but they also became the Official Sideline Cap of the NFL. Up until this point, New Era was mostly known for their role in Major League Baseball, but this new deal showed that the brand can start creating for more major league teams. Ahead of this year’s draft, our team worked with The Athletic to tell the story of how all of this came to be – and what the brand had in store for this year. The 2025 NFL Draft caps featured a special pin representing a specific fact from each team’s city or organization. For all of us Bills fans, the pin was a standing Buffalo, but other team’s pins included a guitar in honor of Cleveland’s Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Liberty Bell for Philadelphia, a sasquatch wearing a 12 jersey to represent Seattle’s 12th man, and so much more.
New pilot program seeks to help students with financial literacy
Spectrum News 1 – May 17, 2025
Only 29% of Americans said they took a personal finance course in high school, according to a MarketWatch survey. And the lack of financial literacy can come at a real cost to wallets and livelihoods. To address this national trend, M&T Bank is leading a local program at Thomas R. Proctor High School in Utica, New York. The Martin Group worked with M&T to engage Spectrum News and other local media to promote the program, which has already served over 400 students, showing the impact of local financial education. It led to coverage across Spectrum News networks in New York.
Want to learn more about The Martin Group’s work? Click here.
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Earlier this year, The Martin Group took home gold—and plenty more—at the 2025 Buffalo American Advertising Awards (ADDYs), winning a total of 53 awards, including 14 Golds and a Judge’s Choice Award for She’s Got Next!
The ADDY awards is the largest competition within the advertising industry, bringing in more than 25,000 entries annually from local chapters to compete in a three-tier process. Judges recognize creative excellence, rewarding Gold ADDY awards to the highest level of artistic innovation, with top winners moving on to both district and national competitions.
The Martin Group’s work with clients across various industries was recognized, highlighted by work for New Era Cap, which received 19 Silver awards and five Gold awards for the NFL Sidelines, NFL Cold Weather, NBA City Edition 2024 Video, and MLB Big League Chew campaign.
New Era Cap
Adding to the celebration, our team received a Silver and a Gold award for Nike’s art direction and social media campaigns for Huarache-Lacrosse.
Nike
Kaleida’s “Health Lives Here” campaign got well-deserved recognition with seven Silver and five Gold awards, and also qualified as a finalist for Best of Show.
Kaleida Health
On top of that, Sodexo Live! won three Silver awards for the Tennessee Titans presentation and Montreal Bell Centre RFP.
Sodexo Live!
And finally, a special recognition for The Martin Group’s She’s Got Next blog series that earned the Judge’s Choice Award.
She’s Got Next
To learn more about the Buffalo American Advertising Awards, click here. To learn more about The Martin Group’s world-class work, click here.
Casey Frantz
Senior Public Relations Manager
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With more than a decade spent working for brands Coach, Theory, and Schutz across Chicago and New York City, Casey joins The Martin Group with a fashionable resume—and impressive experience at each career stop. Now working with our PR team in the realm of media relations and community engagement, the Loyola University Chicago grad brings a wealth of global communications capabilities and marketing know-how to a list of clients that includes Buffalo Pro Soccer, Independent Health, and New Era Cap. When she’s not managing her ongoing slate of PR opportunities, Casey enjoys pottery making and escaping to her family’s summer house on New York’s Chautauqua Lake.
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