76ers' rebranding continues with 'Since 1776' commercial

Jeff Zillgitt | USA TODAY Sports

Corrections/clarifications: A previous version of this story misspelled the name of Julius Erving:

Rebranding an organization requires a delicate, refined and deft touch. One misstep and that rebranding can alienate an organization’s key constituents.

"It's a pretty weighty responsibility to be doing so much to refresh and change a brand as rich in history and tradition as the Philadelphia 76ers. … This is a homegrown, gritty, incredibly tough sports market. Any tweaks or changes you make to that brand, you better think very carefully,” Sixers CEO Scott O’Neil told USA TODAY Sports.

The 76ers – with three titles, multiple Hall of Famers, the third-most wins in NBA history – made a conscientious effort, including input from fans, to strike not only the right tone but an effective one.

First, it started with new uniforms and logos unveiled earlier this year, and now the rebranding continues Monday with the release of a commercial called “Since 1776” that pays homage to Philadelphia’s revolutionary spirit, the team’s tradition and the fan base’s passion. It also includes a nod to the future and what is possible with a young team loaded with lottery picks.

USA TODAY Sports provides a first-look at the video that will also air in the Philadelphia market and on sixers.com. The “Since 1776” campaign also extends to billboards, print ads, ticket art and wall art, the Sixers said.

76ers' new campaign: 'Since 1776' A first-look at the video that is part of the 76ers' rebranding.

Philadelphia greats Wilt Chamberlain, Julius Erving, Moses Malone, Charles Barkley and Allen Iverson are featured in the spot – with prominent footage given to today’s players, including Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor.

“What you see is this amazing trinity between the fans, the team and the city,” Sixers chief marketing and innovation officer Tim McDermott said. “It’s a tough-as-nails passion that exists and that quite frankly you don’t see in many American cities. We have something unique.”

The Sixers hired ad agency Mother and entrusted Mother’s team to execute the creative. The Sixers had very specific thoughts, and the team at Mother’s took a deep dive into Philadelphia and its sports history, interviewing team personnel, former players and fans.

“We had a very early observation as a group which was the Philadelphia 76ers are not named after a weather pattern or an animal,” Bruno Frankel, a strategist at Mother, said. “The 76ers and the story of 1776 and the story of Philadelphia is incredibly powerful and it is incredibly deep. It’s got huge political and emotional value in it.

“That’s their name, and for the past 15 years, they really haven’t been leveraging that. It was directive from that Scott that we had to find the power in their story that they once had. We went on a journey to do that.”

PHOTOS: NBA MEDIA DAYS 2015