ESPN x Neace Robinson Super Bowl 61 Logo Announcement

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

To reveal the Super Bowl LXI logo and announce ESPN’s return to The Big Game, Fresh Tape Media tapped TikTok creator and breakout artist Neace Robinson and her widely recognized “1, 2, 3 release ‘em” audio trend, transforming it into a cinematic VFX activation above SoFi Stadium. The result turned a routine logo announcement into a social-first cultural moment sparking an outpouring of support for Robinson, building hype for Super Bowl LXI, and becoming ESPN’s most engaging NFL social post of the entire season.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

This activation demonstrates how sports brands can authentically integrate internet culture into major tentpole moments. 

Rather than forcing traditional sports marketing into social platforms, ESPN built the concept around a cultural trend that audiences already recognized and loved. By elevating a creator-driven audio moment into a stadium-scale spectacle, the campaign shows how sports content can evolve alongside the creator economy transforming routine announcements into shareable entertainment moments.

This approach sets a new benchmark for how sports brands can collaborate with emerging creators and social trends to drive massive fan engagement.

Objective

Immediately following the Super Bowl, social conversation is overwhelmingly focused on the outcome of the, making it difficult for additional announcements to capture fan attention. ESPN’s objective was to transform the Super Bowl LXI logo reveal into a moment that could break through the post-game noise and generate meaningful engagement across social platforms.

To achieve this, ESPN leaned into one of the internet’s most recognizable audio trends, Neace Robinson’s “1, 2, 3 release ‘em”, and reimagined it as a stadium-scale visual experience. In the video, Robinson appears atop SoFi stadium as thousands of balloons rise into the sky to form the Super Bowl LXI logo. 

Executing this concept practically would have been nearly impossible at scale, so Fresh Tape Media utilized advanced compositing and VFX techniques to seamlessly integrate Robinson into the stadium environment. This approach enabled the team to deliver a visually spectacular moment designed to feel native to social feeds while still delivering the grandeur expected of a Super Bowl announcement.

Strategy & Execution

Today’s sports fans increasingly engage with sports culture through creators, trends and audio moments that originate on social platforms. Instead of promoting the Super Bowl LXI logo through a static graphic or traditional broadcast, ESPN designed the reveal around a cultural reference point already familiar to online audiences. An IYKYK vibe - you’re either in on the cultural conversation, or you’re not, and we’re tailoring to those that are.

By featuring Neace Robinson and her widely used “1, 2, 3 release ’em” track, the content immediately resonated with Gen-Z and digital-native fans that are chronically online. The creative execution mirrored the pacing and style of native TikTok content while elevating the concept with cinematic visuals worthy of the Super Bowl stage.

This approach allowed ESPN to connect with fans in an environment where they already spend time, blending creator culture with one of sports’ biggest annual moments.

Organizations

• • Fresh Tape Media 
  • ESPN

Links

•   Website

Featured

• Neace Robinson

Credits

Brandon Messner
Art Director
Fresh Tape Media

Katie Nehring
Graphic Designer
Fresh Tape Media

Brad Ross
Creative Director
Fresh Tape Media

Jonathan Venegas
Freelance
Fresh Tape Media

J'Ron Erby
Senior Social Media Manager
ESPN

Dean Berhow-Goll
Senior Social Media Manager
ESPN

Mitchell Clements
Sr. Creative Manager
ESPN

Diana Lee
Senior Director, Digital and Social Content Business Operations
ESPN

Brett M. Edgerton
Sr Director, Social Media
ESPN

Ann F. Drinkard
Sr Operations Manager, Social
ESPN

Nicole Williams
Director of Social Media, Pro Sports
ESPN

Neace Robinson
Music Artist
Neace Robinson

Bosh G Leon Mills
Manager
Full Forcin Management Company

Keeli Rose
Chief of Staff
Full Forcin Management Company

Lakino Henderson
Producer + Videographer
Neace Robinson Team

Jeremy Minor
Producer
Neace Robinson Team