New Jersey Devils: 5 Jersey Ads We Wouldn’t Mind
The New Jersey Devils have an iconic jersey. The “NJ” crest that builds into a devil’s horn at the top and a devil’s tail at the bottom is one of the best logos in sports. It’s been on the “top” logos lists for most people because of its creativity and simplicity. The Devils also haven’t had a ton of alternate jerseys over the years. Even with the implementation of Adidas as the jersey maker, the Devils only added two new jerseys, and they both lean on their red and green roots.
Sources say on Tuesday that there will be jersey ads coming in the 2022-23 season. This will be a very controversial topic. People lost their minds when they announced ads on helmets to help make up some of the lost income coming from the COVID-19 pandemic. Now, they are taking it one step further. Jersey ads will likely also be sold on products purchased by the general public, or the jersey won’t look like an exact replica of the on-ice product. Either way, many will not be happy with this.
However, there are some ads that would make New Jersey fans happy. New Jersey is this wonderful place if you were born and/or raised there. While we seem to be the butt of many jokes, unless you’ve lived there it’s impossible to understand. So, the brands that represent New Jersey would go over a lot better than, say, something like McDonald’s or Subway.
So, which brands would be represent the Garden State? We have a couple in mind.
Taylor Ham/Pork Roll
Credit where credit is due, this whole idea came from the great Backhanded Devil. Let’s break down his idea.
Pork roll or Taylor Ham. It’s the greatest debate since Central Jersey’s existence. It has nothing to do with the deliciousness of the meat product. It’s the greatest breakfast food in existence, full stop. This salty treat’s debate comes from its name alone.
People have been arguing whether Taylor Ham is the name of the product or the name of the brand. The Devils had an entire themed night where fans picked sides. Pork Roll/Taylor Ham is always going to be steeped in New Jersey culture. It only makes sense that New Jersey’s only official professional team in the four major men’s sports should add the iconic logo to its jerseys.
This would be something everyone could get behind. It would cause conversations between fans at every game. It would put the Devils into the upper echelon for jersey ads. It would get some people from states without the breakfast meat asking “what is pork roll or Taylor ham and why do these people care?” This would sell itself, and it would elevate the brand of this product. It’s a win-win.
Diners
This one needs some explaining since it’s not one brand, but diners, and especially those of the 24-hour variety, are one of the best parts of New Jersey. After a long night of partying, studying, or just watching Netflix, it is great to know you can get a $7 breakfast at 3 a.m. Since the state is so synonymous with diners, the Devils could use this opportunity to put a different diner on their jersey each time. This would allow diners to split the cost of the jersey ad by 41 (each diner would get one home game and one away game).
There are 525 diners in New Jersey. Everyone has a favorite diner, and then there’s also a second favorite and a third favorite and a fourth favorite. The state has enough diners to cover more than 12 seasons worth of jersey ads. It would be a fun way to promote the product, the Devils could work with said diners to have themed nights when the diner’s time to be the jersey ad comes up, and it could even add a diner to the Prudential Center.
It would also get people talking. They could put this game’s diner as a surprise for each and every game. This would get people interacting on Twitter and Facebook, which is what the Devils have been striving for anyway. This would get some money in for the team while also giving diners a somewhat affordable way to advertise diners at a time when they were really hurt by the pandemic.
This makes perfect sense. Now I need a giant stack of pancakes with a cheesesteak on the side.
Edison Light Bulbs
This one goes back into the history of New Jersey. Thomas Edison is one of New Jersey’s most famous residents ever. He might be the greatest inventor in the history of America. The light bulb is his most famous invention, and it’s possibly the most important invention in the history of this country. It changed the way we lived our lives.
There have been thousands of innovations to the light bulb since Edison invented the light bulb back in 1879, but the original style, also known as “Edison bulbs” has become more and more popular nowadays. Homes are looking for that “antique” look more often, and those original white light bulbs are out of style. The Devils could jump on this trend and use this as a way to add a jersey advertisement with New Jersey roots.
There are lots of companies that make Edison bulbs, but one New Jersey company has an original Thomas Edison light bulb that still works! Birnbaum Electric has been around since the early 20th century, and they are a Hackensack staple. They probably couldn’t afford the price of the jersey ad themselves, but it could be something where the Devils get creative.
The Devils jersey “ad” would have to be the light bulb itself. Maybe that’s where things get creative. It could be a Home Depot ad that masquerades as a light bulb. This would be one way to allow a company with millions of dollars to spend on advertising to get something while allowing it to be a logo that fans could be happy with.
Crown Roll Leaf
Never heard of Crown Roll Leaf, Inc? That’s okay, but you definitely know their product. If you have a license, it’s likely you have a Crown Roll Leaf product in your wallet or purse. They make holograms for security. They go on licenses, license plates, comic books, toys, and much much more.
Imagine this company, which operates out of Paterson, New Jersey, could make a holographic advertisement to go on the Devils’ jersey? The Devils need to make this super cool to make this less of an issue with most fans. Honestly, fans seemed to get over the helmet ads pretty quickly, but the Devils need to get creative to make the jersey ads a lot less controversial.
Maybe the hologram would be campy, but who cares. It would be fun to have a hologram on the jersey at all times. Crown Roll Leaf could even change the hologram for themed nights. If it’s Star Wars night or 90s night, the Devils could make it a lot better by putting that on the jerseys.
The Devils have always been innovative. They were the first team to announce which ad was going on the helmet, and they found a way to do it tastefully. They could do the same thing with a nice little hologram on the jersey.
Bruce Springsteen’s Latest Venture
Bruce Springsteen is New Jersey. If he ran for governor, he might get every single vote. He crosses party lines, demographics, gender, everyone seems to love Bruce Springsteen. The Devils have leaned into that love time and time again. One of the victory songs for the team is Glory Run. They love to promote Bruce.
When there’s one of the biggest artists of all time with a song called A Night With The Jersey Devil, every advertisement has to at least consider some time with Bruce. He released his 20th studio album last year. Since he hasn’t been touring due to the coronavirus pandemic, he is likely going to release another album.
There is also a second run on Springsteen’s Broadway show. That could be the advertisement. Springsteen represents New Jersey no matter where he goes. Whether he’s on a worldwide tour or a residency on Broadway in New York City, Springsteen brings New Jersey wherever he goes.
It would be an unconventional way to advertise an entertainment product, but why wouldn’t it work? Hockey is an entertainment product, and if the NHL allows fans to buy jerseys with ads on it, fans would be okay with rocking Bruce Springsteen. Even if they are on the Bon Jovi side of the debate, they would be happy to represent New Jersey on a daily basis. If that’s how often you’re wearing Devils jerseys.