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For years, Icy Hot has been known for its signature dual-action pain relief — the power of ice and heat, otherwise known as contrast therapy. But beyond that functional benefit, the brand needed to evolve and show consumers what makes Icy Hot better. How do you take two simple words and give them more meaning? How do you make pain relief feel exciting?

Enter: ‘The Comeback Cavalry’ — The Martin Agency’s first work for Icy Hot, a campaign that creates an immersive world built around the product itself. At the center of the campaign is a new universe inside the Icy Hot bottle, where a team of Ice and Heat warriors (the Comeback Cavalry) await their call to action. Led by Shaquille O’Neal, the brand’s longtime ambassador but now in his new leader role, the cavalry springs into action at the first sign of a strain—treating even the most everyday pain like it’s an all-or-nothing championship moment.

Rather than focusing on elite athletes and dramatic sports moments, this work shifts the lens to everyday athletes — the ones grinding at the rec league, playing pickup, or pushing through their weekend workouts. Because every moment of pain matters, whether it’s the NBA Finals or a neighborhood 3-on-3.

Beyond introducing a new comedic tone for Icy Hot, the campaign also unveils a new tagline: “You’re So Back”—it’s a playful spin on the viral phrase “We’re so back,” aimed at deepening the brand’s engagement with culture. The juxtaposition between the high-stakes seriousness of the ‘bottle world’ and the everyday nature of the outside world brings a sense of humor to Icy Hot, making the product differentiation both memorable and meaningful.

The campaign, directed by