Former Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn and others sport the Team ATL apparel that The Icebox (asi/229395) created.

The Pro: Scott Alterman, chief swag officer, The Icebox (asi/229395), along with vital contributions from the distributorship’s team.

Client: The Atlanta Super Bowl LIII Host Committee.

Job: Provide uniforms for approximately 10,000 people volunteering with the committee as part of Super Bowl LIII, which takes place on February 3 in Atlanta. The volunteers will be wearing the custom-designed pieces during official Super Bowl events, such as Super Bowl LIVE, a multi-day free concert.

Order Size: The Icebox is providing more than 70,000 items for “Team ATL” volunteers in the form of logoed jackets, polos, gloves, scarves, hats, backpacks and socks.

Product Spotlight: The Icebox saw to it that the custom jackets were made from recycled plastic bottles collected at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Mercedes-Benz Stadium, the site of the Super Bowl. “When volunteers wear the jackets back at the stadium, everything will truly come full circle,” says Alterman.

Scott Alterman, co-founder, The Icebox

Step 1: Act Fast & Bring the ‘Wow’

The Icebox’s winning reputation around its hometown led the Atlanta Host Committee to contact the distributorship about providing swag for its hand-picked volunteers. “They were only a few weeks out from making a decision on whom to go with, and we had to act fast,” says Alterman. Within a week, The Icebox sourced a variety of samples and embellished them with different decoration techniques to show the client a range of eye-catching possibilities. Ultimately, the fast, creative work proved pivotal. “Early in the decision-making process, The Icebox demonstrated its vast creativity and ability to deliver unique, quality products within a relatively short timeline,” said Lee Hendrickson, the committee’s VP of community engagement and volunteer programs. “The company’s apparel background, along with sourcing experience and highly customized design, were key differentiators.”

The Icebox pros at work on Team ATL swag.

Step 2: Design Deftly, Source Smartly

Once the host team committed to The Icebox, the distributor’s creative minds worked even harder. The design team spent weeks making the entire collection as functional, comfortable and high-performing as possible, all with fetching Team ATL branding. The sourcing team astutely identified the right overseas partners, primarily in China, to produce the custom merchandise. The most notable pieces were, perhaps, the jackets made from plastic bottles. They were part of a sustainability narrative the committee wanted to tell about Atlanta, its ethos as a city and “Legacy 53” – an initiative to plant a positive story about Atlanta in the popular consciousness that will resonate long after the Super Bowl. “Our sourcing team did a great job of finding the best, most cost-effective way to get this done, and we worked hard to coordinate everything to keep the order on track,” says Alterman.

Step 3: Move Into the Spotlight

On October 28, The Icebox was part of a unique fashion show that debuted the volunteer uniforms to the public. Held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, there were models, celebrities and key players from the host committee and National Football League present, including Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank. Thousands attended the event. Former Falcons running back Warrick Dunn was on hand to help model the branded apparel. Alterman and fellow The Icebox Co-Founder Jordy Gamson had a blast. “We shot shirts into the crowd with a T-shirt gun,” says Alterman.

FIRST LOOK: The official #TeamATL uniforms made by @IceboxCoolStuff at the Kickoff Rally#ATLSB53 https://t.co/s2qq5cvttH

— Atlanta Super Bowl (@atlsuperbowl53) October 28, 2018

Jordy Gamson, co-founder, The Icebox

Step 4: Nail the Logistics

Still, ample coordination remained; once stateside, the branded merchandise had to be sorted and packaged for each of the 10,000 volunteer recipients. With two warehouses, The Icebox fortunately had the space for the massive kitting operation. A few extra hands were required, though. As of this writing, the plan was for the committee to pitch in by sending over 50 to 75 volunteer leaders to help The Icebox team. “It’s our job to get everyone working on the same page in assembly-line fashion,” says Alterman.

With the merch packed, The Icebox planned to send the swag to the committee in weekly installments from mid-December through mid-January, allowing the merch to be distributed to different sets of volunteers as they come in for training. “For volunteers, this commemorative merchandise is their pay – it’s their way of carrying forward the important part they’re playing in the Super Bowl,” says Alterman.

Step 5: Set Up the Next Big Sale

The Icebox’s excellent work on the Super Bowl apparel gave the distributorship a sturdy foundation from which to construct future sales with the host committee. Atlanta will be home to college basketball’s massively watched Final Four games in 2020, and is also a host city for the upcoming 2026 World Cup. “The same committee is working to make those events a hit, and we’re already talking about how we can help,” says Alterman.