The 2014 New York/New Jersey Super Bowl Host Committee implemented its first string of planning preparations today, as co-chairmen Woody Johnson and Jonathan Tisch welcomed new members to the host committee and unveiled the organization's official logo and initial advertising campaign.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, New York Giants president and CEO John Mara, Steve Tisch, the Giants' chairman and executive vice president, and Al Kelly, New York/New Jersey Super Bowl Host Committee CEO and president, joined Johnson and Tisch for the presentation, which occurred during an early morning news conference at The Modern in midtown Manhattan.
"As public anticipation for the first outdoor, cold-weather Super Bowl grows, so, too, does our commitment to hosting a historic event that truly encapsulates the distinct characteristics of our region," said Johnson. "The design elements of our newly released logo and advertising campaign are full of region-specific complements, and the development of this material represents a milestone in our forward progression to February 2014."
The George Washington Bridge receives prominent placement in both the official logo and print advertisement. The iconic structure stands in the center of the circular emblem, with "NY" and "NJ" imprinted by its base and the waters of the Hudson River visible below. In the print advertisement, the bridge's lanes are covered by the surface of the standard American gridiron, with the playing field connecting the physical divide between the two states.
"The George Washington Bridge serves as a central bond, literally and figuratively, in the artwork of our official logo and print advertisement," said Jonathan Tisch. "As a universally recognizable landmark that joins New Jersey and New York, the bridge symbolizes the collaborative effort between both states to host Super Bowl XLVIII."
The broadcast advertisement showcases the epic magnitude of the event and the required groundwork necessary to execute, featuring a region suiting up in much the same way a player prepares for the big game. From placing shoulder pads on Lady Liberty, to staging the introduction of players from the Lincoln Tunnel, to painting yard lines on a field that spans the George Washington Bridge, the advertisement was designed to showcase excitement about the approaching Super Bowl and properly honor the 22 regionally based companies that form the 2014 New York/New Jersey Super Bowl Sponsor Host Committee.
The introductory television and print advertisements aim to introduce the New York/New Jersey Super Bowl Host Committee to the metro-area market and highlight the 22 corporate sponsors for their collective assist in making the event possible. The print ad launches in the Wednesday, Sept. 28, edition of The New York Times. The television advertisement will run locally before and after the Jets and Giants games, as well as in MetLife Stadium throughout the season, beginning Oct. 2.
The logo and print and broadcast campaigns were designed by New Jersey-based agency Source Communications.
The Host Committee gained 22 new members in the form of one vice-chair to serve as a representative for each of the sponsor companies.
"Our host sponsor committee signifies the deepest bench in the business community, comprised of major playmakers from almost every imaginable sector, including finance, real estate, media and consumer products," said Kelly. "We are grateful for their support, without which we could not host this momentous event."
The complete list of Host Sponsor Corporations and their vice-chairs includes:
■ Hess Corporation — John Hess, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
■ RR Donnelley — John Paloian, Chief Operating Officer
The Host Committee is chaired by Johnson, chairman and CEO of the Jets, and Jonathan Tisch, co-chairman of Loews Corporation and treasurer of the Giants.
About the 2014 Super Bowl
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The New York and New Jersey region will provide visiting fans an unparalleled Super Bowl experience — complete with a multitude of exceptional venues, landmark destinations, and sightseeing and shopping opportunities. The area offers 40 Broadway theaters, 60 off-Broadway theaters, more than 100 museums and nearly 1,700 public parks, as well as more than 18,000 restaurant choices and 275 world-class hotels with 100,000 hotel rooms, suitable for a wide range of tastes and budgets.
MetLife Stadium is the only stadium to serve as the home to two NFL teams, the New York Jets and New York Giants. As such, it is able to provide equal "homefield advantage" to both competing teams, with two of everything — including locker rooms, training rooms, home team coaches' booths, and premium in-game medical treatment facilities, as well as two full-practice training facilities, the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center and the Timex Performance Center.
