Washington Wizards: Style Showcase
The 6th Annual Awards
- Best Event or Experiential Campaign
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
The Washington Wizards, in partnership with D.C. Fashion Week and Michelob ULTRA, hosted a charity fashion show to tip off the season, honoring the cultural crossover between sports and fashion and giving fans a new look into the team. The full Wizards roster, as well as D.C. Fashion Week models, hit the runway showcasing designs by local artists, celebrity stylists, and personal stylists.
How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?
The sports industry has long been tied to the fashion world, but our Style Showcase presented the industry with a new way to activate in this space, while also encouraging player creativity and entrepreneurship.
Our runway provided a forum for our players to promote their personal brands, like Kyle Kuzma debuting the newest products of his clothing line or Corey Kispert honoring the history of our franchise with a throwback look styled by his personal stylist.
We also set new benchmarks in fan engagement by making the fans a part of the event, encouraging them to sport their best fits and walk the same red carpet as our players. Their photos and videos on social media created a unique way for our team to directly engage with our fans beyond basketball.
Objective
The Washington Wizards Style Showcase was founded on three objectives—Cultural Intersection, Community and Brand Expansion.
Fashion and sports have teamed up to be at the forefront of popular culture, and the Washington Wizards saw an opportunity for their brand to celebrate this moment in the industry.
The Washington Wizards also wanted to make this event “For the District.” Hosted at the iconic District Pier at the Wharf, with the Washington Monument as the backdrop, this event was made to highlight the unique culture of D.C. In partnership with D.C. Fashion Week, and with local designer Chris Pyrate, local brands SOMEWHERE DC and DC Proper, iconic celebrity stylist Ed Archer, players and models sported looks born from the District’s rich history and culture. All proceeds from the event were donated to the community via the Monumental Sports Foundation.
We built the Style Showcase with the idea of creating a bridge between fashion and sport for our fans. By tapping into fashion, brands expand their reach beyond the action on the court. In incorporating D.C. Fashion Week, the Wizards brand reached a whole new audience, both online and within the community, that may not have had basketball on their radar otherwise.
Strategy & Execution
This event was designed with fan experience at the forefront.
Fashion has increasingly become part of modern sports fans’ daily digest. With social media accounts focusing on the lifestyle of players off the court, NBA players have turned their arena arrivals into cultural moments. It was important for our brand at the Wizards to tap into the significance of those arrivals.
With our full roster walking the runway, we turned player arrivals, typically a behind the scenes part of game day that fans witness only via social media, into a live event for our fans.
Fans also had the chance to create their own ‘arrival moments’, showcasing their fits on the red carpet before enjoying a night of food and drinks. Our partners at Michelob ULTRA gifted general admission fans a limited-edition Style Showcase graphic tee, designed by a local artist, and VIP guests a custom shoe bag.
Organizations
- Washington Wizards
- Monumental Sports & Entertainment
- Michelob ULTRA
Links
Featured
- Kyle Kuzma
- Tyus Jones
- Marvin Bagley III
- Deni Avdija
- Bilal Coulibaly
- Jordan Poole
- Patrick Baldwin Jr.
- Jules Bernard
- Jared Butler
- Justin Champagnie
- Johnny Davis
- Anthony Gill
- Richaun Holmes
- Corey Kispert
- Eugene Omoruy
- Landry Shamet
- Tristan Vukcevic
- Ed Archer
- Chris Pyrate
- Ean Williams
Credits
Ketsia Colimon
Vice President, Strategic Communications
Washington Wizards
Derric Whitfield
Senior Director, Dance Teams
Washington Wizards
Joe Proszek
Director, Branded Content
Washington Wizards
Nick Raines
Director, Game Presentation, Franchise Marketing
Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Daniela Schneider
Manager, Influencer Marketing
Washington Wizards
Alex Kreger
Production Manager
Monumental Sports & Entertainment
Celebrate in NYC
Join us for the 6th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 6, 2024 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.
