Matteo Gullà
Creative Director
0

Teeing Off: Fidelity x The Athletic

Fidelity's 2025 partnership with The Athletic paired high‑visibility digital placements with custom video built specifically for the platform and social. I led creative direction on the partnership, directed the custom video content, and art directed the NYT landing page that anchored the campaign — the effort became a model for how Fidelity now plans creative around cultural passion points.

Teeing Off:

Fidelity +

The Athletic

CLIENT: Fidelity Investments (Brokerage)
PARTNER: The Athletic (NYT)

ROLE: Creative Direction, Custom Video Content, Art Direction (NYT Landing Page)

YEAR: 2025

DISCIPLINE:

Creative Direction Campaign Strategy Art Direction Illustration Video Direction Digital Advertising Editorial Design

THE BRIEF & THE IDEA:

Fidelity needed to reach The Athletic's sports audience in a way that did more than just show up — the work had to move both new accounts and brand perception at the same time. Rather than run generic finance messaging, I built the creative around the sports moments fans cared about most, leading with golf and the Ryder Cup.

The idea that tied it all together, "Teeing Off," used golf as a lens on investing: the same discipline, patience, and preparation that make a good golfer make a good investor. That framework carried across every touchpoint — the anchor NYT landing page, the takeovers, and the video.

THE RESULTS:

The Ryder Cup takeovers and golf-aligned digital display drove the strongest lifts in new customer accounts and new assets of anything in the program.

BRAND IMPACT:

+1 pt unaided brand awareness,
over benchmark

+4.1 pts consideration, over benchmark

+3.7 pts favorability, over benchmark

WHY THIS MATTERS:

Teeing Off proved that pairing message with cultural moments drives both immediate results and lasting brand strength. It became the model — Fidelity now applies the same approach to Formula 1 for Crypto and World Cup audio for Brokerage and Crypto.

 

NYT LANDING PAGE

I art directed the custom Teeing Off landing page on NYT/The Athletic — a fully illustrated editorial piece that carried the golf-as-investing idea through three pillars: preparation and consistency, using the right tools, and diversification. Custom illustration replaced stock sports photography throughout, giving the page an editorial feel distinct from a standard finance ad unit.

 

CUSTOM VIDEO, BUILT FOR TWO JOBS:

I directed a video content strategy split by intent rather than a single cut-down waterfall, featuring Jordan as the on-camera voice representing Fidelity:

  • Short-form — built to convert attention into site visits.

  • Long-form — built to build awareness and consideration, giving the brand room to make a case rather than just an impression.

Teeing Off: External Factors

 

Teeing Off: The right tools

Teeing Off: A Balanced Stand

 

MY ROLE:

I led art direction on the NYT landing page, working directly with the illustrator to develop the visual style. I art directed the three video spots and led the editing. I also presented the campaign internally at Fidelity to help sell the idea through.