--- title: The Home Depot Tool Shaq | 7th Hashtag Sports Awards description: Global awards recognizing excellence in fan engagement and celebrating creativity across sports marketing, media & entertainment image: https://www.hashtagsports.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Assets-AF-2025/Rlpzjqww-LEH7C40PQV-file.jpg --- The Home Depot Tool Shaq | 7th Hashtag Sports Awards [The 7th Annual Awards](https://www.hashtagsports.com/awards/shortlist-2025?hsLang=en) # The Home Depot Tool Shaq [The Home Depot](https://www.homedepot.com/), [Octagon](https://www.octagon.com/) Share [** ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hashtagsports.com%2Fawards%2Fshortlist-2025%2Fthe-home-depot-tool-shaq) [** ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hashtagsports.com%2Fawards%2Fshortlist-2025%2Fthe-home-depot-tool-shaq&text=The+Home+Depot+Tool+Shaq+%7C+7th+Hashtag+Sports+Awards) [** ](https://www.linkedin.com/sharing/share-offsite/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hashtagsports.com%2Fawards%2Fshortlist-2025%2Fthe-home-depot-tool-shaq) ABOUT THIS ENTRY When The Home Depot wanted to create an experience for their inaugural "Tips From The Tool Shaq" campaign at March Madness, they had to think big ... Shaq Big. So the team set to work creating a space that would let fans step into Shaq's oversized world. ![Image](https://www.hashtagsports.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Assets-AF-2025/Rlpzjqww-LEH7C40PQV-file.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&name=Rlpzjqww-LEH7C40PQV-file.jpg) How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"? The "How to March Madness" media campaign served as the perfect springboard for a dynamic experiential activation. Securing Shaquille O’Neal as the brand ambassador, along with exclusive time for bespoke photography and video content, proved to be a slam dunk. This content was featured in the mixed reality "Dance Off with Shaq" video booth. The "Tips from the Tool Shaq" content created a creative platform that seamlessly carried through to the Final Four onsite activations. Year one of the NCAA and Home Depot partnership launched with a bang, bringing a strong, exciting, and authentic presence to the Women's and Men's Final Four tournaments. Additionally: * Cobranded premiums – THD branded bucket hats, arm sleeves, gift cards and more were coveted by attendees. * The mini wooden court magnets proved to be an authentic, easy to execute activity kids and parents could enjoy together. * The living bracket wall created a “wow” moment for fans, beyond the beautiful keepsake photo. * The outdoor footprint was a benefit in capturing additional impressions for the brand, creating accessibility for fans that did not attend the indoor events. Objective **The Home Depot** conducted a year-long process to determine where the brand should go next in the sponsorship space. It revealed a spring-time gap in the current portfolio, an important time-period for the brand, as well a gap in support of women’s sports. In order to address these gaps, The Home Depot pursued becoming an official partner with the NCAA at the Corporate Partner level and entered negotiations along with planning ahead of the 2024 Women’s and Men’s Final Four tournament. **The Goal: ** Grow brand affinity and awareness for The Home Depot (THD) through authentic connections found between THD and March Madness. **The Strategic Approach: ** Leveraging the _How to March Madness_ campaign, create unique touchpoints throughout activation spaces that draw parallels between basketball and The Home Depot environment by playing with the things they have in common * Leaning into the larger-than-life persona of **Shaquille O'Neal**, appeal to audiences of all ages and backgrounds by aligning The Home Depot with the ultimate a-list doer, inviting fans into **_The Tool Shaq_** activation space * With an ever evolving events landscape, pay close attention to industry trends and find authentic ways to integrate The Home Depot into these on trend experiences and activities. Strategy & Execution The Tool Shaq experience, designed off the punny humor of The Tool Shaq media campaign. It merged DIY themes and basketball together through five key touchpoints: * **“How to Seed a Bracket**”: A massive living bracket of 6,000 team-colored roses, updated as teams advanced in the men’s and women’s tournaments. * “**How to Work the Paint**”: A kids' craft area where fans designed Final Four wooden court magnets, similar to The Home Depot's Kids Workshops. * “**Shaq’s Shooting Drills**”: A DIY-style shooting game, where fans used drill-bit pedestals to shoot for prizes like “Phil the Bucket” hats. * “**The Big Dance Off**”: An AR booth challenging fans to outdance Shaq, featuring his iconic Shaq Shimmy. * “**Bucket Ball**”: A pop-a-shot game using Home Depot Buckets as hoops, hosted by “Phil the Bucket.” Executed in Phoenix and Cleveland, the experience felt like Shaq’s personal space, with details like free-throw diagrams and mangled rims “fixed” by Shaq. Local plants, like succulents in Phoenix and flowers in Cleveland, added to the immersive environment, while the scent of real lumber made the space feel like an active workshop. ** Nominations ** - Best Brand Experience or Activation **Organizations** - The Home Depot - Octagon - sbExperiential - Lerma - Passion Growers - Event Producers **Featured** - Shaquille O'Neal **Credits** **[ Heather Dade-Themelis](https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-dade-themelis-9530555/) ** Sr. Manager, Sports Marketing The Home Depot **[ Briar Waterman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/briarwaterman/) ** Head of Creative The Home Depot **[ Kristen Thompson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristen-thompson-6bb75754/) ** Live Good Merchant The Home Depot **[ Whit Friese](https://www.linkedin.com/in/whit-friese-18729a4/) ** VP, Creative Marketing The Home Depot **[ Zach Thorne](https://www.linkedin.com/in/zach-thorne-48263333/) ** Sports Marketing Manager The Home Depot **[ Kelsey Barnard](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelseybarnard/) ** Account Director Octagon **[ Kali Lack](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kalilack/) ** Vice President Octagon **[ Matt Chelap](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattchelap/) ** SVP Octagon **[ Kacie Hudson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/kacie-hudson-b8276752/) ** Group Director Octagon **[ Noah Berman](https://www.linkedin.com/in/noahberman2000/) ** Senior Account Executive Octagon **[ Matt Malichio](https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-malichio-8431802/) ** Executive Creative Director Octagon **[ Josh Patterson](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jpatterson1/) ** Group Creative Director Octagon **[ Rustin Jessen](https://www.linkedin.com/in/rustinjessen/) ** Senior Producer Octagon **[ Jason Sifre](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonsifre/) ** Creative Director Octagon **[ Victor Iraola](https://www.linkedin.com/in/victoriraola/) ** Senior Designer Octagon **[ Anthony Pensiero](https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-pensiero-94874787/) ** Design Director Octagon **[ Jessica Strohl](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessicastrohl/) ** Senior Designer Octagon **[ Jon Andres](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonandres/) ** Senior Experiential Director Octagon **[ Shomari Muwwakkil](https://www.linkedin.com/in/shomari-muwwakkil/) ** Experiential Manager Octagon **[ Taylor Mowid](https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylormowid/) ** Event Executive Octagon #### INSPIRED TO ENTER WORK? 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