Best International Experiential Activation
Visa Masters of Movement
Brand: Visa
Agency: Imagination
At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Visa unveiled Visa Masters of Movement, a campaign that transformed fan soccer skills into digital art to be minted as NFTs. Combining sports, art and cutting-edge technology, Visa harnessed its algorithm to create real-time visualizations, turning goals and skills into digital works to be collected on the blockchain. At the FIFA Fan Festival, which drew more than 100,000 attendees, fans were able to choose a country, don a tracking device, play sample games in an enclosed pitch, and create digital memorabilia based on their moves. The innovative campaign drove 12,000 individuals to mint NFTs and engage with a growing digital economy while experiencing the love of their favorite sport. Visa’s integration of the technology took center stage at the experience, with 957 million PR impressions from 335 articles and the creation of more than 24,000 unique pieces of digital artwork. —K.C.
Best Consumer Activation
2023 McDonald’s All-American Games (McDAAG)
Brand: McDonald’s
Agency: We Are Social U.S., The Narrative Group
A fixture in basketball culture for 46 years, the McDonald’s All-American Games expanded on the traditional showcase with various activities and experiences for players and fans alike. The campaign started in January with the roster reveal on “NBA Today” featuring McDAAG alumni like Jalen Rose and Vince Carter and hand-painted basketballs by artist David Maldonado. In February and March, the McDAAG’s presence in Houston was amplified with 10 different activations in partnership with UofH, the Houston Rockets, local sneaker stores, and more—engaging more than 14,000 fans and generating more than 224,000 local media impressions, which led to record-breaking ticket sales. With the Toyota Center sold out to watch the best high school basketball players in the country, the games saw a 70% year-over-year increase in earned media, with more than 11,000 media and social placements and an 837% growth in celebrity and influencer attendance, including Lebron James and family. —K.C.
