How Study Hall made centuries-old rowing feel urgent for LA 2028

Rowing is one of those sports that carries centuries of tradition – and all the formal baggage that comes with it. So when USRowing came to Study Hall with the challenge of creating a campaign for the 2028 LA Olympics, the Oakland-based studio knew they’d need to dig past the surface. The answer they landed on? Strip away the pomp and get to the raw truth of what rowing actually demands. “The entire campaign hinges on ‘ALL IN,’” explains Alex Sheyn, Executive Creative Director at Study Hall. “It is a rallying cry, a call to action, and the north star for the work. It speaks to community, legacy, pursuit and to every ounce of effort it takes to be a rower.” That effort is no joke. These athletes rank among the fittest in the world, with VO₂ max scores that rival any sport. They’re built like basketball players but race in boats that balance inches above water. Yet somehow, all that intensity gets buried under layers of tradition and ceremony. Working with Strange Family on strategy, Study Hall set out to surface the drama that already exists. The sprint finishes. The sound of oars cutting water in perfect sync. The tension when rival boats are fighting for inches. “We set out to make sure this campaign rang true on three levels,” adds Ben McNutt, Executive Creative Director at Strange Family. “First and foremost be a real reflection of the athletes (absolute athletic freaks of nature…these people are built different) and the dynamics of the sport itself.”