Strategy, Creative Direction, Film + Photo Production

New Monster led the creative direction, and production behind Penn State Athletics' launch of its new partnership with Adidas, a rollout that had to introduce a major brand deal to 31 sports programs without losing what makes Penn State's identity distinct. "We Are," the chant that has carried Happy Valley for generations, needed a look and feel that could carry the same weight across every sport for the 2026 season. The campaign built from silence to a full declaration, anchored by a hero film, "Not a Chant, a Standard," that put athletes and their voices in the leading role. Archival game sound sits alongside commentary from Todd Blackledge and Lisa Stahl, letting the past speak in a new way.

The result was a launch that felt like it belonged to Penn State first, with every program, football to swimming, getting its own moment inside a single, connected story. The campaign gave Penn State Athletics and Adidas a shared identity built on Penn State's own terms. Full performance results will follow as the season plays out, but the reception across alumni, donor, and athlete audiences has already confirmed the core bet behind the work. The partnership was always going to matter less than the people wearing it.