Emotions run high during the Stanley Cup playoffs: the joy of victory, the heartbreaking sadness of defeat, the fear that your team will never make it past the first round – and this year those feelings will be highlighted by Pixar.

In a league first, Walt Disney Canada’s Pixar is partnering with the National Hockey League and the National Hockey League Players Association to promote the June 14 release of Inside Out 2, with the brand naming the feelings in the film (Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, Anger and others) as the Official Emotions of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, in Canada.

“As Canadians are so passionate about hockey and our main character Riley attends hockey camp in the film, the campaign is meant to target hockey fans and anyone who loves the game,” a Disney Studios Canada representative tells MiC.

The partnership kicked off with a custom, player-integrated :30 second co-branded TV spot, featuring the Joy, Anger, Anxiety and Embarrassment emotions. Those who watch the playoffs will also see the the film promoted on the NHL’s digitally enhanced dashboards, which will be showcased on nationally televised Canadian Playoff game broadcasts throughout the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“The spot and the dashboards, which run the length of the playoffs, are the main focus on the campaign – but we also have digital media running in partnership on NHL.com in the form of digital banners and takeovers of the site, closer to release date,” the spokesperson adds.