Four new custom trailers from the Army & Air Force Exchange Service are hitting the road to celebrate the Department of Defense retailer’s support of the Commanders’ Classic and Army-Navy Games.
The Exchange is a supporter of Army West Point Sports and Air Force Athletics. This year, the Exchange will be on-site—with some of the custom trailers—for two of the biggest matchups in military academy sports.
On Nov. 6, the Army Black Knights will take on the Air Force Falcons in the Lockheed Martin Commanders’ Classic presented by USAA at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington, Texas. On Dec. 11, the Exchange will be at MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey for the 122nd Army-Navy Game between the Black Knights and Navy Midshipmen.
One trailer design was created for the Commanders’ Classic, while three trailer designs will debut for the Army-Navy Game. This is the fourth year the Exchange is a participating partner in the Army-Navy Game presented by USAA.
The trailers are 53-foot rolling billboards highlighting how the Exchange serves troops from the very beginning of their service, through their military careers and beyond.
The four trailers are delivering merchandise to Exchange stores to support military communities throughout the country. The Commanders’ Classic trailer will operate out of the Exchange’s distribution center in Waco, Texas, and serve Central region, while the three Army-Navy trailers will be based out of Dan Daniel Distribution Center in Newport News, Va., and will serve Exchange stores in the Eastern U.S.
Several designs created by Exchange associates were submitted for consideration. Exchange senior executives, military personnel and other leaders reviewed the designs and helped shape the themes for each of the trailers. Senior leadership narrowed the selection down to one design for the Commanders’ Classic and three designs for Army-Navy. Because the three designs each spoke to different and distinct aspects of the game and its traditions, Exchange leaders decided to use all three Army-Navy Game designs, instead of just one. The service academies also reviewed the designs for approval.
The custom trailer designs each evoke particular aspects of the games.
Commanders’ Classic Trailer
The Commanders’ Classic design, created by Corporate Communications Specialist Mario Baltierra, features a football in the colors of the Army Black Knights and the Air Force Falcons, along with the team logos. The trailer also features a quote from Exchange Director/CEO Tom Shull encapsulating the Exchange’s commitment to the military: “There is no greater honor than serving those who serve.”
#ARMYNAVY Trailer
One Army-Navy Game design—which is the trailer that will be at the game in New York—is simply the hashtag #ARMYNAVY in bold letters on the side of the trailer, along with the Army-Navy Game and Exchange logos. The clean-cut design is visible from a distance, allowing the Exchange’s presence to stand out amid the crowds.
“The game is so iconic that just the hashtag #ArmyNavy is instantly understood by millions,” said Sandi Lute, the Exchange’s vice president of marketing and customer engagement, who created the design. “The social media aspect encourages viewers to get engaged and post their support for their team online.”
Fiery Football Trailer
The second Army-Navy trailer design features the Army-Navy Game football logo, with a stream of flames, representing the intensity and excitement that surrounds the annual matchup, often referred to as “the greatest rivalry in sports.” The image was designed by Exchange Creative Director Johnny Olson, who was inspired by the in-stadium graphics of a fiery football that the Exchange used at the 2019 Army-Navy Game.
“The flames represent the American spirit that always rises up amid challenges,” Olson said. “You see the persistence of patriotism and sports in our country. Even last year, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Army and Navy found a way to safely play this historic game.”
Classic American Football Trailer
The final Army-Navy trailer design uses American symbols to highlight the proud tradition of the game. An American flag overlays a football field, with the Army-Navy Game logo, as well as the date, time and place of the highly anticipated face-off.
“American patriotism is tied to this game because of what our prestigious Armed Forces academies represent,” said Baltierra, who designed the classic look. “In displaying our partnership with the service academies, the trailer also showcases the Exchange’s mission of supporting Warfighters and families.”
The Army-Navy Game trailers also pay special tribute to the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, with a “Never Forget” callout on the back of each trailer.
Watch these short time-lapse videos to see how the designs are applied to Exchange trailers!
- Commanders’ Classic trailer time-lapse video
- Army-Navy Game hashtag design trailer time-lapse video
- Army-Navy Game fiery football design trailer time-lapse video
- Army-Navy Game classic American football trailer time-lapse video
Check out the Flickr album to see more photos of the trailers.
For more information on the custom trailers, visit the Hub.
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