This summer, members of the newest NHL team the Seattle Kraken traveled to Anchorage to take part in the Anchorage Hockey Academy Summer Camp. The special appearance was thanks to the team’s partnership with Strategies 360 client Bristol Bay Native Corporation. 150 youth took part in the week-long camp, which included training with members of the Seattle Kraken Youth Hockey and Skating Academy coaching staff through multiple sessions. Several major outlets provided coverage of the event including the Anchorage Daily News, Alaska’s News Source, Alaska Business Magazine and the Anchorage Press.
This annual Seattle Kraken camp in Anchorage was part of the multi-year deal S360 helped negotiate between BBNC and the Seattle Kraken. Strategies 360 began exploring partnership opportunities with NHL Seattle in February 2020. For more than a year, we worked on developing a strong relationship to move Bristol Bay Native Corporation towards a partnership that was mutually beneficial to all parties. Once NHL Seattle officially became the Seattle Kraken, the details of that partnership took shape. That included one of the 13 food marketplaces within the new Climate Pledge Arena that serves wild Bristol Bay salmon and Bering Sea cod.
S360’s multi-year and multi-service engagement
Communications and Media
S360 led the announcement for the partnership from Anchorage, Alaska on June 15, 2021. With local youth hockey players as the backdrop, Seattle Kraken CEO Tod Lieweke and BBNC CEO Jason Metrokin shared the news with the world. S360 ran media relations, communications, community engagement & digital marketing for the announcement. The event garnered significant media coverage across Alaska.
On September 15, 2021, at an event at Seattle Center, S360 led the announcement for the new “Bristol Bay Wild Market” which includes a menu serving Bristol Bay salmon and Bering Sea cod dishes to millions of arena visitors each year. The marketplace is a joint venture with BBNC, Bristol Wild Seafood Company and Bristol Bay Regional Seafood Development Association (BBRSDA). The event coordinated by S360 included Climate Pledge Arena executive chef Molly DeMers, BBNC CEO Jason Metrokin and the infamous Pike Place Market fish tossers.
S360 ran media relations, communications, community engagement & digital marketing for this announcement as well.
Branding and Design
The S360 design, marketing & communications teams also led the creation of the actual marketplace as well as the messaging/branding for the marketplace and the partnership. S360’s design team created a full brand for the marketplace from scratch. Blending elements of BBNC’s visual identity and brand narrative, the Bristol Bay Wild Market is instantly aligned with the organization while offering a distinct point of view that celebrates the regional food culture. We created a space that not only highlighted the food, but also the people of the Bristol Bay region. Visitors to the marketplace will get the chance to learn about sustainably sourced wild fish while picking up their food.
Continued success
Strategies 360 deeply values the incredible partnership of cultures and communities that has arisen from the BBNC and Seattle Kraken relationship. S360 proudly supports projects that add a multitude of benefits for the communities in which we serve and look forward to the continued success of the Kraken and BBNC. Our teams have the skills and passion to support complex projects wielding our full suite of services to deliver successful results.