The Real Heroes Project
The Real Heroes Project, officially launched on #NationalNursesDay, was a first-of-its-kind initiative by the sports community to recognize, celebrate, and honor healthcare workers on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic — a good example of brands stepping it up during the pandemic.
Starting Monday, May 4th, top athletes across all sports dedicated their uniforms — by replacing their names on their jerseys with the names of their healthcare heroes, and sharing a personal thank you message with the hashtag #TheRealHeroes. The following Wednesday, May 6th, on #NationalNursesDay, fourteen professional sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, and MLB, collaborated with Adweek to announce the official launch of the initiative.
#TheRealHeroes inspires the nation and invites sports fans to join athletes on social media in dedicating their personal jerseys or team apparel to their healthcare-heroes.
While the world shut down around us, sports events were sidelined too, starting with March Madness. Some of the top sports marketers gathered, virtually, to discuss their challenges — interrupted or canceled sessions, scrapped playoffs, and delayed opening days. Knowing that fans expect to see corporate responsibility from all brands, they came up with a project that would fit the bill and rally around frontline medical professionals. The campaign idea itself is unique — and produced under lockdown in less than a month from concept.
This collaboration was organized by Adweek as their debut campaign during the pandemic. The goal? To work across brands, knowing the collective breeds more impact than the individual. The video was designed as a simple, flexible campaign for people to easily engage with and be part of. Adweek called it a sticky idea, easy to replicate — all you needed was tape, a pen, and a big desire to honor those who are really on the field every day.
We all know sports have longtime inspired nations. Seeing world-athletes flip the script and become fans delivered the hope and optimism sports typically enjoy. This content is meant to spark a movement that will last beyond the stay-at-home present into the return-to-play future, keeping sports top of mind.
The PSA features New York Yankees All-Star outfielder Aaron Judge and Milwaukee Brewers slugger Christian Yelich (MLB). Utah Jazz point guard Donovan Mitchell (NBA), Arizona Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Kittle (NFL). Chicago Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews and Hockey Hall of Famer Hayley Wickenheiser (NHL), as well as Los Angeles Galaxy forward Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, Toronto FC forward Jozy Altidore and Orlando City SC forward Nani (MLS). Two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Busch, U.S. soccer standout Alex Morgan, two-time WNBA All-Star Breanna Stewart, and Ashleigh Barty, the world’s top-ranked women’s tennis player.