New Era Cap - 59Fifty - 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.