In addition to the brands that have signed deals to present Rogers’ broadcasts of this year’s Stanley Cup playoffs, more than a dozen brands have been finding added ways to activate their league-level sponsorships as the competition heats up.

Amazon Web Services and SAP are global NHL partners with global marketing rights. NHL Edge IQ, powered by AWS, are in-broadcast integrations that continue to live in NHL broadcasts and social channels across North America during the playoffs on Sportsnet, ESPN, WBD Sports and NHL Network. Throughout the Stanley Cup Playoffs, SAP and the NHL will also continue to roll out a customized stat-focused content series that highlights NHL players and coaches in head-to-head stats-based trivia.

North American partners include PepsiCo, Betway, Kruger Products and FanDuel.

Kruger Products is conducting its fourth-annual multi-brand program “Find the Cup To Win”. The digital-only experience invites consumers purchasing Kruger Products to locate where the virtual Stanley Cup has been hidden in Canada on a custom microsite. Three prizes of a VIP trip for two to the 2023 Stanley Cup Final will be awarded as well as secondary prizing, including NHLShop.ca gift cards.

On the NHL’s owned-and-operated social channels, FanDuel will present graphical Stanley Cup Playoffs matchup announcements featuring series odds and ask fans who they think will win each series. Fellow sportsbook Betway is launching a content creator series where influencers will be invited to highlight the atmosphere within NHL arenas during the playoffs.

Pepsi & Lay’s will bring back their “Sip. Snack. Score!” shopper program in Canada to drive co-purchase of products through a point-of-sale program that promotes the at-home game viewing occasion. This year’s program will also profile an expansion of priority Pepsi brands such as Cheetos, Popcorners, Crispy Mini’s and Tostitos.

Several other activations are planned at the Canadian level, many of which are focused around contests.

One of the biggest comes from Molson, with its “Get Ready for the Cup” program allowing consumers to scan a digital QR code printed on displays in British Columbia Liquor Stores and select packaging within LCBO stores in Ontario for a chance to win a trip the 2023 Stanley Cup Final.

Molson is also partnering with Boston Pizza on “Call The Shot,” where customers who include a Molson Canadian in their order will be asked predict NHL game outcomes during the playoffs for the chance to win a trip to the 2023 NHL Awards in Nashville. A partnership with Buffalo Wild Wings will feature a similar promotion, where customers who order a Molson prodcut can scan a QR code for a chance to win an NHL mini-fridge and gift cards.

In addition, Molson’s social followers will be prompted to comment on playoff-themed poll questions and can submit a photo of themselves enjoying a Molson Canadian for a chance to win a trip to the final.

Rogers’ “Rogers Moments” platform will returns with a nationwide contest featuring a VIP Stanley Cup Final experience. Rogers is also hosting viewing parties in five regions across the country. Each party included free skating, interactive hockey activities, snacks, contests, alumni meet and greets and onsite integration with the Rogers’ Monday Night Hockey broadcast. Rogers will look to further develop this asset and host viewing parties in select markets for the rest of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Scotiabank will launch a new national program encouraging fans to use their Scene+ and Scotiabank payment cards for a chance to win a grand prize payout of a trip to the Stanley Cup Final. Scene+ partner Sobeys will also run a contest where fans who used their Scene+ card in store are entered to win a 2023 Stanley Cup Final experience. This season, the program integrated multi-vendor support and secondary prizing across NHL partner brands Kraft Heinz, BioSteel, Nestle and Purex.

Kellogg’s will be continuing its “Gr-r-reat Tr-r-rivia” content online during NHL games, where Tony the Tiger will pose trivia questions for a chance to win trips to the 2023 Stanley Cup final and NHLShop.ca gift cards.

Clutch, Esso, Nestle, Oikos, Olymel, Purex and Tim Hortons are all running contests of their own, with prizes ranging from gift cards to trips to watch the Stanley Cup Playoffs in person.

Other Canadian sponsors are running sales events. Hyundai is linking to the playoffs with its “Race to the Cup Sales Event,” running in all dealerships across Canada, each of which will feature an NHL floor rink, shoot-out station, signage, tent cards, updated display signage and player photo cutouts for photo opps.

As part of a larger trend of Ontario Sports Betting operators promoting a responsible gaming message to players, OLG’s Proline+ has partnered with former NHL goaltender Curtis Joseph to appear in a commercial spot that encourages responsible gaming. The spot will run across multiple channels in Ontario only and will launch during the Stanley Cup Playoffs.