“I hate the word ‘underdog’: These women aren’t underdogs, they just are unknown … people just didn’t pay attention,” said Julia Cheney, cultural marketing lead at Google. “We’re the same at Pixel: We’re a better phone, but people just don’t see us as an option, so we’re trying to kind of tell that same story—if you give us a chance, if you put us in your hand, just like if you watch a WNBA game, you’re going to be a fan.”
Playing the long game
American Express hosted activations for more than 30 sports partners around the globe in 2023. As the official card partner of the NBA, WNBA and NBA G-League for more than two decades, Amex tailors those events by market, trends and audience.
This year, Amex hosted a concert Feb. 15 with Machine Gun Kelly and a DJ set from Shaquille O’Neal. Before the All-Star Game Feb. 18, it presented a game show pitting NBA players against each other in a trivia contest.
“Our robust global portfolio of partnerships and sponsorships enables us to bring card members closer to the leagues, teams, venues, artists and athletes they’re passionate about,” said Shiz Suzuki, vp of global brand sponsorships and experiential marketing at American Express. “We’re always paying attention to what our card members are saying and how they’re engaging with our products and services, so we can adapt and evolve how we enhance the value of Amex membership.”
Certain activations travel well from sport to sport, like a dedicated entrance for American Express cardholders or complimentary in-ear radios for Formula 1 races or the US Open, Others, like strawberries and cream at the Amex Lounge at Wimbledon, are more event-specific.
NBA and WNBA official connectivity partner AT&T also wedges NBA All-Star Weekend into a full year of on-site sales. Its roster of activations includes College Football Playoff bowl games, college basketball’s men’s and women’s March Madness, every NCAA sporting championship, golf’s Masters Tournament and art and cultural events such as the Essence Festival of Culture and the Tribeca Festival.
On NBA All-Star Weekend, it rolled out a “Blue Carpet” for celebrities and sports luminaries, a gaming-focused AT&T Roadshow hosted by YourRage (and livestreamed on Twitch) and NBA Crossover activities including an interactive mural, immersive games and a shop. It also hosts the HBCU Classic matchup between the Salem State and Virginia Union men’s basketball teams on Saturday, just before its AT&T Slam Dunk Contest, with an LED court and a camera tracking O’Neal’s reactions.
