Seconds into the Los Angeles Chargers’ 2024 schedule launch video, one factor turns into abundantly clear — this may not be your unusual NFL schedule unveiling.
It is set on the planet of “The Sims,” a life simulation online game sequence the place gamers can create characters and management their lives by varied goals and duties.
Within the Chargers’ world, there is a scene of John and Jim Harbaugh combating, harking back to the film “Step Brothers.” A portrait of Invoice Belichick’s canine, who grew to become a star throughout the 2020 NFL draft, is at a Foxborough retirement house.
Midway by the video, Joe Burrow, carrying his Tremendous Bowl swimsuit, arrived at a 7-11 gasoline station manned by Ja’Marr Chase. In October 2023, the Cincinnati Bengals vast receiver posted a photograph of the gasoline station on social media earlier than carrying a 7-11 chain in sport that month, a nod to his perception that he is at all times open.
There are cameos from NBA gamers — most notably Denver Nuggets heart Nikola Jokic, who stands with a horse behind a water properly. Jokic has family-owned horses in Sombor, Serbia.
F1 racer and member of the Denver Broncos possession group, Lewis Hamilton makes an look the place he walks out of a “Ball Mart.” A bunch headed by Walmart inheritor Rob Walton purchased the Broncos in 2022.
Taylor Swift seems at a window whereas Travis Kelce data an episode of the “New Heights” podcast together with his brother, Jason, prompting Travis to hitch her in her personal jet.
And that is only a sampling of the numerous cameos and inside-NFL jokes featured within the video.
The eye to element got here to life by a collaboration of the Chargers social and video workforce working collectively, in accordance with Jason Lavine, Chargers Vice President of Content material & Manufacturing. As of Friday night, the video has over 36 million views on X.
There have been a number of elements of the video that Lavine believes resonated with audiences.
The Sims video games have bought 200 million copies for the reason that first sport’s launch in 2000. It was additionally introduced in March {that a} Sims film starring Margot Robbie is within the works.
“That helps us an amazing quantity too, simply because it is part of, what we’re attempting to do is be part of the zeitgeist of tradition,” Lavine mentioned. “And we received very fortunate that that film was popping out. So we felt like we had been part of tradition.”
Coming off the success of their anime-themed schedule launch movies up to now two years, there was exterior discuss what the Chargers would do that yr. These movies went viral every time — final yr’s eclipsed 20 million views on X — and arrange a possible trilogy.
However they went in a special path and wished to indicate they may do it with out anime, Lavine mentioned.
“I assumed that they had discovered a technique to take the success of anime and really discovered a technique to just do as properly,” he mentioned. “And I actually thought that was an unimaginable process. And I assumed that they had pulled off the unimaginable.”
Allie Raymond and Hannah Johnson, members of the Chargers’ social media workforce, pitched the thought in late February. Lavine mentioned it was a powerful sure and an concept that match the workforce’s mission when making a schedule launch.
Raymond and Johnson performed the sport and constructed out particular scenes and characters which can be customizable mods.
David Bretto (Director, Artistic Video), Tyler Pino (Sr. Director, Manufacturing) and Megan Julian (Director, Social Media and Content material Efficiency) then took the uncooked property that had been recorded and pulled them collectively.
Lavine mentioned a separate group of 5 to seven individuals a part of a “joke workforce” labored to “construct out ideas that then might be whittled right down to what can movement and make for the very best piece.” A smaller group of Raymond, Johnson, Bretto, Pino and Julian determined which of them would go within the video.
The problem with The Sims is that there is solely a lot customization that’s doable. If performed appropriately, it could align as intently to what’s supposed for a personality. Due to this fact, there might be a Sims world the place a personality harking back to Russell Wilson turns into upset when fellow Pittsburgh Steelers QB Justin Fields enters the room.
“It takes loads of filming and redoing of issues, as a result of there’s solely a lot management you’ll be able to have over these characters,” Lavine mentioned. “They’ve a lifetime of their very own. That is the purpose. So it takes an unimaginable period of time to get it excellent and fill the totally different angles and scenes it is advisable construct these sequences.”
The unique video was over 5 minutes lengthy, however they had been capable of minimize it right down to its closing size: 3 minutes and 20 seconds. In keeping with the Chargers, a schedule launch video needs to be quick sufficient that individuals might be compelled to return and watch it.
A number of views additionally improve the prospect of followers figuring out the numerous Easter eggs, like a 28-3 nod on the comfortable hour signal outdoors of a membership the place Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins is DJing or George Pickens watching himself get drafted by the Steelers in 2022
Easter eggs have been a method of the Chargers’ social workforce for 5 to 6 years, Lavine mentioned. He added that the workforce believes the web may have respect for the extent of sophistication of their jokes.
“From an NFL fan standpoint … different followers can do nothing however tip their cap and smile due to the extent of element this workforce went to seek out jokes,” Lavine mentioned. “And inside jokes that resonate with fan bases which can be diehard followers, [and] the people who find themselves informal soccer followers.”
