Sharing the #RE2PECT for Derek Jeter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X03_bNuihLU

In September I’m going to Yankee Stadium to pay my respect to Derek Jeter during his last home opener. As fans watch his final season, with every at bat, every turned double play, every game, and every tip of the hat, it’s safe to say there has been no better brand ambassador for Major League Baseball than Jeter. Bud Selig put it best when he said: “In the 21-plus years in which I have served as commissioner, Major League Baseball has had no finer ambassador than Derek Jeter. Since his championship rookie season, Derek has represented all the best of the national pastime on and off the field. He is one of the most accomplished and memorable players of his — or any — era.”

From a branding perspective, the Jordan brand could not have picked a better endorser other than Michael Jordan himself. So now the brand is paying tribute to all those characteristics that make Jeter an icon, not only in the baseball community, but as a public figure. The campaign, called “RE2PECT,” is a way for those all around the world to support Jeter during the season using the hash tag #RE2PECT. It focuses on the respect Jeter has for his teammates, his competitors and the game.

For me, there is no better campaign to roll out as Jeter prepares to wrap up his final season. The campaign gives me chills, evoking a whole spectrum of emotion: nostalgia, happiness, excitement, and sadness. It is for that reason,  in my opinion, this campaign is the best campaign of the year. It highlights the characteristics that make you fall in love with Jeter. It brings back memories and touches you in a way that most advertising cannot. It engages the consumer, instead of speaking to the consumer. It is the epitome of an engagement campaign.

So, as we are less than two months away from his final game at Yankee Stadium, pay your #RE2PECT to a legend of the baseball community, and share the love.