OK, I must say I am often hard on brands in the online space because quite often their agencies lead them in the wrong direction .... but a avid Digital+Marketing reader from the UK shot me this one (Thanks Ben!). I was struck with awe and inspiration. Impressed to say the least!
Brands breaking through the Great Wall! Nike has run an experiential basketball campaign in Beijing, with a variety of unconventional elements culminating in a 3 vs 3 basketball competition in the Forbidden City. The concept of the competition and campaign, worked on by DMG Shanghai, was based around the 9 Gates of old Beijing’s walled city, building on rivalries between gates in a competition that falls between popular culture and an ancient turf war. Great Idea!!!
The logo was based on the Chinese character for ‘Gate’ with a basketball, and was constructed as a 7-metre high entrance for competitors to pass through on their way to semi-final matches.
Awareness was built for the campaign and players were recruited for each of the Gates through print, outdoor work including ambient street tagging, street teams and online work. A stunning series of posters created an identity for each of the nine gates as well as a buzz around Beijing as kids snapped up limited editions of the various designs. The Nike gates newspaper was also launched, covering the competition and building awareness.
The event itself was highly successful and saw 6,000 basketball fans aged between 14 and 19 taking part in the competition. The key was its relevance for the China market. Battle of the 9 Gates is where the fusion of sports and popular culture were redefined for the new Chinese youth.
View the site @ www.nike.com.cn
