NHL Using Paramount Hockey Comedy to Plug Playoffs

The National Hockey League is running a power play with Paramount Pictures to cross-promote the league playoffs and a comic hockey film.

Actor Mike Myers plays a guru trying to guide the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Stanley Cup Championship in "The Love Guru" to be released by Paramount on June 20. Myers also wrote the script.

In a novel marketing alliance, the league and the studio have co-branded and co-produced a 30-second TV sport featuring Myers. The collaboration also includes exclusive NHL.com content and retail activations aimed at exciting interest among moviegoers and hockey buffs.

It's part of an NHL strategy to heighten its profile through studio deals in the product placement vein.

"We have been and are spending a great deal of time connecting with the entertainment community," said Ed Horne, NHL senior executive vice president for communications, entertainment and club business. ³This movie is really consistent with that approach and with that strategy.²

NHL.com will offer fans video clips and photos from the film. A TV spot to run on scoreboards in NHL arenas during the playoffs will feature film clips combined with footage from hockey games. Teams will also offer fans co-branded giveaways, including tickets to the movie and promotional items, including T-shirts.

Horne said the league sees "Love Guru" as a "terrific opportunity" to give hockey additional exposure and added that there are other film projects on the horizon.

Last year, the NHL ran a promotional ploy around the Warner Bros. release of "300," a film about the legendary 300 Spartans who chose to die in battle against the Persians. The NHL co-produced a spot that juxtaposed scenes of the warrior Spartans with shots from hockey clashes.

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