The NBA Playoffs’ out-of-home campaign is a slam dunk success

The challenge

In anticipation of the NBA Playoffs’ historic 75th anniversary, the NBA wanted to rally the entire basketball community. From players to fans, everyone who helped elevate the league over the years deserved to be a part of this moment.

To reach all fans, TV and social media wouldn’t be enough. By partnering with Rapport and Vistar Media, the NBA created a high-impact out-of-home (OOH) campaign utilizing dynamic creative and geo-targeting to meet consumers at key moments during their day. 

The solution

Playoff precision

The NBA prioritized geographic relevance by tailoring their strategy to playoff team markets.

The NBA also layered key audience attributes: adults aged 18-54 and sports fans, including those actively engaged with basketball-related content. This ensured that ad placements resonated with the NBA's target audience.

Dynamic creative

• Local matchups
  
• Real-time scoring
• Hometown victories
• Moderated Tweets
• Game-time countdowns

As the first brand to activate this kind of automation at scale across the DOOH ecosystem, the NBA used Vistar Media’s SSP to make the experience seamless, timely and deeply engaging.

Times Square takeovers

To amplify its impact, the NBA orchestrated takeovers on key game days leading up to tipoff. Concurrently, during a Twitter takeover by the social team, OOH dominated Times Square's digital spectaculars in New York City.

Market optimizations

Thanks to the flexibility of programmatic DOOH, the NBA could swiftly activate screens in playoff team markets as they progressed, seamlessly deactivating markets following a team's elimination—all without manual intervention.

Embracing Vistar’s extensive supply inventory allowed the NBA to run messages across multiple high-impact and eye-level screens in the streets, across billboards, bus shelters, subways and urban panels.

The results

A three pointer: awareness, consideration and intent

• +7% awareness
• +25% consideration
• +25% tune-in intent

By the end of the campaign, the NBA Finals TV viewership was up by 24% compared to the previous year.

Awards and nominations

• WINNER: OAAA Media Plan of the Year
• FINALIST: The Drum Awards Out of Home - Best Use of Programmatic

This forward-thinking approach to DOOH allowed the NBA to highlight pivotal moments throughout the Playoffs which helped build excitement and create a must-see factor. It was also a chance to connect with our fans in a way that was personalized, real-time and larger-than-life.
Juan Colon
VP of Media Strategy & Planning | NBA

The takeaway

The NBA’s 75th Anniversary Playoffs campaign demonstrated how programmatic DOOH can transform cultural moments into measurable impact. By combining geographic precision, real-time dynamic creative and programmatic agility, the league created a highly personalized and immersive fan experience that extended far beyond TV and social media. 

The campaign engaged audiences at every turn, driving a 7% lift in awareness, 25% higher consideration and a 25% surge in tune-in intent, culminating in a 24% increase in Finals viewership over the prior year. A slam dunk for innovation, the NBA proved that meeting fans in the right place at the right moment can build excitement, spark action and cement cultural relevance on and off the court.

Want to win big on your next campaign?

Vistar Media helps big brands like the NBA energize fans through dynamic creative and geographically relevant OOH campaigns. Contact us today to learn how programmatic can help you score.