Topps

 2023

The J-Rod Show

Campaign
Topps wanted to launch its first-ever integrated campaign for the flagship 2023 Topps Baseball Series 1 trading cards. The goal was to leverage cover athlete Julio Rodríguez to generate cultural buzz, drive sales, and reinforce Topps’ presence with casual fans and the core collecting community.









THE IDEA

Playing off of Rodríguez’s nickname,The J-Rod Show, we built a campaign that placed him in recognizable TV show formats. 

Each vignette blended humor with product storytelling, channeling Rodríguez’s charisma while highlighting Series 1 product as the star of the show.




Episode 1The Cooking Show



Episode 2The Painting Show






Episode 3 The Dating Show









The campain exteded beyond social channels with episodes airing on “The Beast” billboard in Times Square and a set of custom retail assets.










IMPACT


The J-Rod Show became Topps’ most successful digital campaign to date.

+600K views on Episode 1 
(The most-watched Topps video of all time)

1.93M total video views

60,772 sales on Topps.com from collectors exposed to the campaign

513M media impressions

7.88K #ToppsSeries1 mentions in February 2023 






As Senior Art Director, I helped develop the creative concept that brought The J-Rod Show to life. I guided the look and feel of the content series by leading the visual identity direction and art direction of sets and propping. I also guided the integration of creative across digital, social, retail, and OOH, ensuring that the campaign authentically resonated with casual collectors and the core card-collecting community.

Agency: Kamp Grizzly

Senior Art Director: Peter Bowhan

ACD: Xela Gold
Creative Direction / Writing: Jeff Harding
Designers: Erika Nathaniesz, Nick Gammon, Tyeesha Marcel 
llustration: Jordan Domont
Film Director: Ben Berman
Director of Photography: Gabe Patay
Animation: Cory Otjen
Project Manager: Madi Smukalla




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