Frank Sinatra had “My Way,” the Giants have “Our Way” and the two messages coming out of New Jersey couldn’t be more different.
Sinatra sang the “end is here,” so “face that final curtain” after traveling “each and every highway” and compiling a few “regrets.” The Giants are writing a new beginning that they hope still is going strong late Saturday night after a regret-free trip up the Turnpike from Eagles country.
Whereas the “All In” rallying cry linked to the 2011 Super Bowl champions began with a comment from Justin Tuck to the media after a late-season win, the “Our Way” playoff slogan for the 2022 Giants was one of four thought up by the marketing team. It came from experiencing the new organizational alignment across departments under general manager Joe Schoen and watching head coach Brian Daboll’s team defy expectations to end a five-year postseason drought.
“It’s to recognize all the people internally and externally who have a piece of the improvements we’ve made this year,” Daboll told The Post.
What does “Our Way” mean? The internal marketing campaign definition is “smart, tough and dependable” – Daboll’s three favorite adjectives for trusted players – “gritty not pretty” and “togetherness.” How about in the locker room?
“All throughout the year you hear, ‘That is a championship team because they do this, or have that guy,’” receiver Darius Slayton said. “We win ‘Our Way.’ However we need to get it done, we get it done. We’ve shown every possible way.”
After weeks of quiet planning – it’s a superstitious business – that began leading into the Dec. 17 win against the Commanders that positioned the Giants to earn a playoff berth, the “Our Way” campaign launched on Jan. 11. Michael Strahan narrated a hype video tying together the tradition of four Super Bowl victories with a new era. While Strahan was in East Rutherford to film the video on Jan. 5, he addressed the team at practice.
“We wanted it to be reflective of what this team has been, the kind of culture that Joe and Dabes have been building on the football side, and what ownership envisions us being,” Giants chief business officer Pete Guelli said. “This resonated immediately. We’ve created this critical mass, not just individual parts. How do we galvanize everybody and help continue the momentum that we’ve built? Because it can stop, and we needed this to keep rolling.”
Originally intended only for in-house apparel, fans clamored for availability once players and coaches wore it on camera. “Our Way” blue T-shirts became available through Fanatics after the wild card playoff victory and 3,000 sold within the first 24 hours, Guelli said. With no home playoff games to market, “Our Way” was pushed through digital and social branding, with posters and coasters distributed to sports bars across the area, and at community events like school pep rallies.
“Joe and Dabes wanted to be a part of it,” said Guelli, adding that Daboll’s only request was for a black hooded sweatshirt. “When you are building something like this, when football operations is on board, it’s more authentic. Those are the things that your fans want to be a part of. They want to share in the moment.”
The similarity to Sinatra is more of a subconscious coincidence.
“Being consistent, playing hard, and doing everything correctly,” left guard Nick Gates said. “Doing it ‘Our Way’ is what got us here, and what’s hopefully going to win us the game.”
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