Harry the Hawk & Fan Appreciation Night

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

The Atlanta Hawks, along with Gigantik, debuted a limited edition NFT collection that not only highlighted the Atlanta Hawks’ iconic brand but also provided fans with unlockable physical items and one-of-a-kind experiences. To complement this collection, on Fan Appreciation Night at the last home game of the season, fans could use their mobile phones to collect a free NFT commemorative ticket that celebrates the 404.

How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?

This campaign represents excellence in engagement because of how the Atlanta Hawks introduced this new technology in a way that was fun, exciting, and accessible for fans. As opposed to many brands that launched NFT projects that were completely disconnected from everything else the brand was doing or unnecessarily complex, the Hawks integrated the NFT experience directly with the fan experience in an authentic and digestible manner.

The Hawks leadership was actively involved, not just in launching a new NFT project - like many other teams in the league - but also taking the time to connect with fans and provide education around what these new digital collectibles were all about.

Finally, the Hawks demonstrated how this new technology can directly tie into the fan experience. The goal of this engagement was never to sell NFTs for a considerable amount of money. It was to test, learn and innovate and bring fans along in the process. The Hawks directly connected NFTs to the fan experience and provided top-tier engagement opportunities and full immersive fan experiences.

This project was the culmination and celebration of our approach to supporting artists in web3 space, a space that for all its warts has empowered artists in new ways. Working with these 23 artists was a massive honor and a privilege and something that will now live forever on the blockchain.

Objective

The Atlanta Hawks recognized that although NFTs were becoming increasingly popular, most sports fans were still either unaware or skeptical of the new technology. The objective of this campaign was to engage with fans in a novel way by offering a compelling and unique product, while onboarding fans into web3 in a simple yet fun way. The collections highlighted how NFTs can extend beyond pure collectibles and deliver real utility and value to fans. In addition, the Hawks wanted to learn from the experience and discover opportunities to use NFTs and web3 as part of its larger fan engagement strategy.

The campaigns included two phases: the first release was the limited edition Harry the Hawk collection. The second included the commemorative ticket giveaway at Fan Appreciation night, the last 2022 regular season home game for the Hawks.

Strategy & Execution

The Harry the Hawk collection featured 40 unique hand-drawn illustrations of Harry, the Hawks mascot. The generative artwork, made in tandem with the Hawks and Gigantik creative teams, assembled a unique patchwork that celebrated and was inspired by the city of Atlanta, the Hawks, and their fans.

The NFTs were paired with physical goods and real-world fan experiences, which included items like team store gift cards and signed jerseys. The fan experiences that were unlocked with certain NFTs were truly one-of-a-kind.

These not only included two tickets to a game, but also unique opportunities like attending the pregame shoot around, getting a private tour of the practice facility, and getting to ask a player a question at the live post-game press conference.

This campaign led up to the Fan Appreciation Forever 404 night, held on the last home game of the season. Prior to the game, the Hawks hosted an 'NFT 101 Twitter Spaces Conversation' event with industry leaders.

At the game, fans could claim a digital Forever 404 collectible ticket directly from their mobile phone. Scannable QR codes were presented throughout State Farm Arena and the Hawks' Flight Crew handed out flyers to fans as they entered the arena.

Organizations

• Atlanta Hawks
• Gigantik
• Dragon Army

Credits

Narcis Alikhani
VP, Marketing
Atlanta Hawks

Jen Choi
VP, Strategic Initiatives & Growth Planning
Atlanta Hawks

Cliff Lummus
Sr. Graphic Designer
Atlanta Hawks

Allie Chinsky
VP & Senior Counsel
Atlanta Hawks

Caren Cook
VP & Deputy General Counsel
Atlanta Hawks

Rusty Parker
Sr. Director, Research & Insights
Atlanta Hawks

Katie Weber
Manager, Hawks Studio
Atlanta Hawks

Shirley Zhang
VP, Brand Creative
Atlanta Hawks

Drew Frank
Sr. Manager, Game Presentation
Atlanta Hawks

Joe Abercrombie
Sr. VP, Live Experience & Production
Atlanta Hawks

Ericka Hill
Director, Player Engagement
Atlanta Hawks

Ericka Hill
Director, Player Engagement
Atlanta Hawks

Garain Narain
Executive VP, Chief Communications Officer
Atlanta Hawks

Max Strauss
Director, Brand Communications
Atlanta Hawks

Aaron Lane
Sr. Director, Revenue & Marketing Enablement
Atlanta Hawks

Jon Adler
VP, Ticket Sales
Atlanta Hawks

Douglas Dimola
CEO
Gigantik

Jon Parise
CRO
Gigantik

Brian Burns
CTO
Gigantik

Tyler Cohen
Creative Director
Gigantik

Vince Oswalt
Head of Engineering
Gigantik