The USAA Experience at the 125th Army-Navy Game

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

The Army-Navy Game presented by USAA is one of the most cherished and unique annual sporting events in the country and continues to be one of the most highly concentrated military and USAA member eligible audiences at this scale in sports. This is why, as a company founded by the military, for the military, the Army-Navy Game is USAA’s “Super Bowl.”

USAA aims to deliver an incredible experience for fans at the game through our 8,000 sq ft Fan Fest activation and unique military related philanthropic events in the local community. Fans at home are engaged through an online gaming tournament with fellow USAA partner EA Sports’ College Football ’25 video game, our media row event second in scale to only the Super Bowl media row and an influencer campaign leveraging 10+ content creators, most with direct ties to Army or Navy.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

One of the most anticipated aspects of the Army-Navy Game each year are the themed jerseys that are worn just for this game. Fans anxiously await the release of the designs, which happens just weeks before the game. Fan surveys conducted each year overwhelmingly show that fans want to see them incorporated further into USAA’s activations. The short time between the jersey reveals and the game has made doing so a challenge, but in 2024 we brought the jerseys to life throughout the space, in ways that no brand has been able to accomplish before.

The special uniforms were boldly featured in larger-than-life fashion on the exterior anamorphic LED display. We also found ways to personalize the experience for each fan, adding an additional layer of engagement. Holographic versions of the jerseys would feature the custom name entered by each fan upon entry to the Future section of the activation. In the same space, fans could become Army or Navy players themselves, using face swap technology to transform themselves into players of their selected team. Fans received a digital keepsake of both experiences.

Objective

Since becoming the title sponsor of the Army-Navy Game in 2009, USAA has had one primary goal with the partnership; to “grow the game” as an underscore of its larger mission to support the military community and our future military leaders. The length and success of the relationship has led to one major challenge – how does USAA continue to improve on accomplishing this goal and remain authentic and relevant to an ever-evolving military audience?

As we began to plan the 2024 Army-Navy Game 10+ months before the event, there were several key objectives that anchored our approach, including:

• Integrate our “READY” brand campaign across all aspects of our activations
• Refresh our approach to our activation and the content within the on-site fan activation to continually raise the standard we’ve set year-over-year
• Integrate new and different technology, games, experiences and digital takeaways for fans within our on-site activation
• Since 2024 was the 125th meeting of the Army-Navy Game, ensure we celebrate the history of both USAA and the rivalry, while keeping an eye towards being “READY” for the future
• Incorporate and celebrate our host city, Washington D.C., throughout our activation

Strategy & Execution

A focal point of USAA’s sponsorship is the Fan Fest Activation. To celebrate the milestone year, USAA blended the rich history of the rivalry with a look at the future, integrating cutting-edge technology throughout the activation.

The exterior of the 8,000 sq ft footprint featured a 50’x10’ anamorphic LED display, which set a record as the largest temporary anamorphic wall in the U.S. This featured 75 seconds of animations showcasing the historic rivalry, famous D.C. monuments and landmarks, and the 2024 exclusive Army-Navy Game uniforms.

The interior of the space was full of unique touchpoints focused on the Past, Present and Future of the game with nods to the host city. The Past section featured custom Army and Navy themed retro pinball machines where fans posted high scores for their respective team and a memorabilia wall highlighting historic Army-Navy Games. In the Present section, fans played an interactive game throwing physical footballs at virtual targets featuring their team’s logo. Finally, the Future section featured tech-fueled experiences including holographic players in the 2024-themed jerseys customized to display fans’ names, and a photo op booth where fans were transformed into Army and Navy players. Fans received digital keepsakes for both experiences.

Organizations

• Exterior Robot Glam Cam: PivotXP
• Fabrication & Build: Symmetry Event Solutions
• Holographic Jerseys & Anamorphic Screens: Holovisn
• Player Avatar Photo Opp: MoZeus Worldwide
• Tenting
• Decking & HVAC: Select Event Group

Featured

• Robert Griffin III
• Joe Theismann
• Josh & Jase
• Ellie Golden Life
• Quincy Wilson
• Lauren Mulloy
• Austen Alexander
• Haneline Twins
• Doug the Pug

Credits

Jackie Adkins
Marketing Manager Lead
USAA

Steven Sarandos
Marketing Manager Senior
USA

Christian Bove
Communications Director
USAA

Colleen McAdams
Communications Manager Senior
USAA

John Coker
Media & Social Lead
USAA

James Rini
Brand Marketing Lead
USAA

Jeffrey Barash
Senior Account Director
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William Shaw
Senior Account Manager
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Sabrina Socquet
Senior Account Executive
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Brett Gardner
Account Supervisor
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Thomas Davant
Senior Account Manager
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Doug Evans
Account Manager
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Tyler Overly
Senior Account Manager
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Bennett Mayfield
Account Supervisor
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Kenny Rosenstock
Account Director
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Danielle Grande
Account Manager
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Michael Pernal
Account Director
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Mitch Marier
Account Manager
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