TOUCHDOWN: THE RIGHT THIRD-PARTY ENDORSER CAN DRIVE A MESSAGE LIKE NOTHING ELSE

"Third-party endorsers” is how we in the communications business describe those credible-yet-not-directly-connected-to-you voices who help to tell your story. Sometimes they are experts in their field, like a medical doctor singing the praises of a new medication or device. Or they can be people with the right degree of gravitas on the issue at hand. Case in point: Don Cherry, Mr. “Rock ‘Em, Sock ‘Em Hockey” himself, lending his support to a new Ontario Minor Hockey Association initiative designed to cut down on illegal hockey hits that can result in serious injury. Not only is Cherry the undisputed hockey guru of this country – so any involvement by him in a hockey-related initiative will help drive the story – but it’s also somewhat counterintuitive (and therefore, even MORE newsworthy) to have a long-time defender of violence in hockey drawing the line at illegal, dangerous conduct. The program – actually funded with personal help from Cherry himself – will see red stop sign stickers put on the backs of helmets of all players in the league. “If you could only read the letters I get from families who had their son paralyzed,” Cherry told the Toronto Sun’s Joe Warmington, “Believe me, you don’t want to read those letters.” The guy who has tirelessly defended fighting and hard physical play in hockey is championing an effort to save players from getting hit from behind or driven into the boards. I know it’s a football motif in this space, but really – he shoots, he scores!