How does this represent “Excellence in Engagement”?

The "Phila Unite" Custom Jordan 1's showcased the true power of the Circle of Stars Influencers. The 76ers were able to harness the energy surrounding the influencer campaign and direct it towards the relaunch of the playoff campaign.

Additionally, the highly coveted retail item shed some insight on potential retail avenues that the 76ers could explore in the future

Objective:

As the Philadelphia 76ers transition into year two of their “Phila Unite” playoff marketing campaign, the brand story was invigorated with a unique influencer marketing campaign. Leaning into the subculture of sneakerheads, they 76ers created a one-of-kind, high-quality sneaker that were distributed to a limited number of their Circle of Stars influencers. Through the creation of this platform, the team was able to build hype leading into the 2019-2020 NBA playoffs, generate brand awareness, generate social content, and grow the team’s database.

Strategy & Execution:

To bring this initiative to life, the 76ers collaborated with two-time NBA all-star Ben Simmons. Not only was Simmons a key driver in the design of the shoe, but he also introduced the sneakers to the public by teasing the design on social media, engaging with the circle of the star influencers, and wearing the sneakers for the final game of the regular season.

Within four days, the group of influencers received their custom shoes and took to multiple social media platforms to create a world-wide conversation to their 175 million followers across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Weibo.

Through this coordinated release, fans and enthusiasts proclaimed their desire for these exclusive sneakers. Seizing the groundswell of desire for the sneakers, two separate enter-to-win contests were held domestically and in China to increase entrants into the 76ers Database.

Production

Ubiq
Garixon Lab
Philadelphia 76ers

Credits

Chris Heck
President
Philadelphia 76ers

Katie O'Reilly
Chief Marketing Officer
Philadelphia 76ers

Desron Dorset
VP, Business Development
Philadelphia 76ers

Chris Unera
Sr. Creative Strategist
Philadelphia 76ers

Kyle Riggle
Brand Director
Ubiq