All The Smoke

DogHouse x Detroit City FC x Detroit Is Not Dead

First, Some Context:

As an avid soccer player and fan, I naturally had a desire to work with my local professional soccer team, Detroit City FC (DCFC). I had been going to their games since I was a little kid and had even found myself playing in their adult leagues and coaching their youth teams over the years.

Little did I know that what would start as a cold-call email to their CEO would turn into one of the most successful partnerships in both DogHouse's and DCFC's history.

Official DCFC Jerseys (Ft. DH Logo Placement)

What Exactly Did We Do?

Well, how much time do you have? Probably not enough, so here's a bulleted list:

Custom 1/100 jerseys
1 full-game activation
Cross collaboration on social media including several campaigns
A massive video and photoshoot for our game and jerseys
DogHouse meal bundle at concessions
After parties
Collaboration with local artists/ DJs
Logo placement on the DCFC jerseys
On-field signage

Custom DH x DIND Jerseys

Official Jersey Hard Launch Video

Let's Talk About That Videoshoot

Click that link above or right here to watch it.

This video was by far my biggest production to date. Over two days, we had eight hours of time on set, two videographers, a photographer, seven models, one gaffer, plus tons of production support staff that were all working under me to help realize my vision. This was my first time as lead for a production of this size.

Now, The Jerseys

These custom 1/100 jerseys were a collaborative effort between myself and Makayla Rybak, founder of Detroit Is Not Dead. Mak and I created these to commemorate my partnership with DCFC. We dropped these at the All The Smoke game and they nearly sold-out that night.

Our social media push consisted of a stragtegic mix of teasers, reels, carousels, stills, and of course the video above. It generated a huge buzz across all three companies and their communities. The fire emoji has never been used so many times.

Postcards given out with each puchase (front)

(Back)

Incorporating The Players

In order to continue to show our involvement with the team, I recruited two active DCFC Men's players to capture some content with us. DCFC's US Open Cup hero, Carlos Saldaña even went the next step and did a full video with us to really capture the community aspect of our collaboration.

Lastly, The Big Game

The All The Smoke game was derived from a triple entendre: referencing DCFC's ultras' identity with smoke bombs, DogHouse's identity as a cannabis company, and the energy and 'beef' that comes with a high-intensity sporting atmosphere.

My goal? To elevate an already incredible environment to new heights with all three of the above perspectives in mind.

If you have not been to a DCFC match, well first, you need to change that immediately, but their games have pioneered the European-style community and engagement from the fans with a certain crazy energy you won't find elsewhere. At a DCFC game you should expect smoke bombs, coordinated chants, drumming, and lots of cursing and alcohol consumption. It is fandom on a level we are not accustomed to in traditional American sports.

To make this game particularly special, I aimed to do things that had never been done before. We were already the first ever cannabis sponsor with the club and I wanted to add to that, so at the game, we unveiled the first ever tifo at a women's indoor match, marking us the first company to ever work with the club's ultras, The Northern Guard.

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