New Apple ad outside Capital One Arena features photo of Alex Ovechkin taken by Nicklas Backstrom

February 28, 2019 2:57 pm

There’s a new photo hanging on the side of Capital One Arena and the photographer is none other than Nicklas Backstrom.

Unveiled on Thursday, the billboard-sized photograph is an ad for Apple’s iPhone XS phone and is a twist on Apple’s “Shot with iPhone” campaign. Instead of crowd-sourcing ads from social media, Apple has enlisted NHL players to share their candid photos, taken with the iPhone XS.

The photo that Backstrom took is of Alex Ovechkin’s back, during what looks like warmups at Carolina’s PNC Arena.

The ad was unveiled outside Capital One Arena on Thursday, on the 6th and F St. side of the building.

Photos: Cara Bahniuk (taken with an iPhone because, well, it’s funnier that way.)

The photo is excellent–we can’t fault Backstrom’s choice of subject. But we can’t help thinking that Nicky probably has some spicier photos of Ovi on his camera roll.

Hey DC. We are coming in hot!#ifthereisonecitythatdiservesthis? pic.twitter.com/G6QzX5h1VU

— Nicklas Backstrom (@backstrom19) June 8, 2018

According to the Capitals, the photos were taken with Apple products during a two-week span where players from select NHL teams took photos of their teammates at practice and on the road. The best photos for display were then picked by Apple, NHL, and NHLPA. For the Capitals, Backstrom and John Carlson contributed photos for the campaign.

Other teams participating in the Apple campaign include the Tampa Bay Lightning, St. Louis Blues, Edmonton Oilers, Carolina Hurricanes, Arizona Coyotes, Ottawa Senators and Philadelphia Flyers. According to Adage, this is just the beginning of Apple’s ad campaign featuring NHL players.

Further images will roll out on social media including Instagram Stories, to give fans and followers a look at a typical day-in-the-life of an NHL player. Fans will also receive a behind-the-scenes look at the daily practice facilities, pre-game rituals and other moments all capture on the iPhone XS.

Here are mock-up photos of some of the ads at other NHL arenas: