NHL’s Season Break Doesn’t Apply to Its Ads

The National Hockey League is shutting down for 16 days in midseason to allow its players to participate in the Winter Olympics in Japan, gambling that worldwide exposure will more than make up for the interruption. While the closing Feb. 8-24 creates a risk of losing fans, having its stars play in the Olympics fits into the league’s plans of fostering an international market. An ad campaign has been designed to keep the NHL in the fans’ minds during the Olympic break. The league has adapted its “Coolest Game on Earth” slogan to “Coolest Game in Nagano,” with a kicker of “Winter Break.”