Condoleeza Rice was not the most relaxed-looking Secretary of State. Indeed, almost every time she was in front of a camera, she was buttoned down and politically fashionable.
Well, there is a new Condoleeza Rice in front of the cameras now. Rice looked totally relaxed and comfortable in striking a pose with a warm smile for an NFL Apparel ad.
In the “It’s My Team” line advertisement , Rice shows off a fitted Cleveland Browns jersey with an orange jacket thrown over her petite shoulder.
Rice is only one of several powerful women that have participated in the “It’s My Team” ad campaign. Serena Williams and Ivanka Trump have also been photographed for the campaign. Rice was proud to show off her team’s jersey. The ad included a quote from her saying, “never miss a game or a chance to show off team colors!”
Rice also took to her Facebook page to express her excitement over the campaign. “Supporting the NFL and showing my passion for the Cleveland Browns,” she wrote.
The NFL has had women’s merchandise for years. However, it has only gotten significant attention in the past three years, according to Tracey Bleczinski, NFL’s vice president of consumer products. “We realized that while we had terrific products for women, we needed to build awareness. If you are a football fan, you aren’t just a fan on game day,” she told Marketing Daily. “We have gone after it in a much more significant way and the response from our female fan base has been tremendous.”
Bleczinski is hoping the campaign gains some traction considering there are more female football fans than people tend to think. “Forty-five percent of fans are female and that continues to grow,” Bleczinski continued. “We do have something for everyone, and this campaign aims to communicate that if you are living and wearing football, you can do it every day, year-round.”
There aren’t any stand alone stores selling the merchandise but it has been tested at a stadium boutique during New York Jets games.
“It was really well received, so I think this year we will have boutiques at more stadiums,” Bleczinski said.
