Brief:

 

Raise awareness of American Express’s role of being an NBA sponsor, and provide them with a defined role amongst Card Member prospects, millennials and younger. 

 

Positional American Express as a lifestyle brand in the NBA community, offering benefits that provide increased access Card Member’s passions. 

 

Identify events, and markets American Express can create an authentic brand role to offer Card Members premium benefits and experiences.

 

Solution:

 

Tap into the NBA streetwear culture, offering Card Members exclusive access to merchandise and elevated experiences at events. To do so we partnered with Complex at ComplexCon to offer Card Member benefits including an early entry line, and American Express's first ever e-commerce pop-up with Complex for limited edition merchandise. 

 

Collaborated with our ambassador Don C at NBA All-Star Weekend for the release of his limited edition Air Force 1 sneaker offering Card Members an opportunity to purchase the sneakers digitally.  

 

Created a speakeasy in Chicago for American Express’s B2B clientele highlighting the newly acquired Resy platform, their Global Dining Collection and professional offerings filled with programming including professional development, live chats with Don C, Russell Westbrook, C.J. McCollum and more. 

 

Talent:

 

• Don C (Ambassador, Design Partner)

• Jerry Ferrara (Ambassador, Celebrity Media Contributor) 

• Casey McPerry (Ambassador, Content Creator)

• Cassy Athena (Ambassador, Content Creator) 

• Lance Fresh (Ambassador, Press Partner)

• Bryan Greenberg (Ambassador) 

 

Campaign:

 

To support the different initiatives across the NBA program, our ambassadors created content that supported brand messages highlighting different key messages over the season. 

 

To highlight our collaboration with Don C’s exclusive Nike Air Force 1 release at All-Star weekend, we created a three-part video series to provide a spotlight to his store RSVP Gallery, the partnership with American Express and 10 years of shop small. 

 

Sustained the exclusive merchandise offerings with collaborations with the Lakers, China Town Market, Bleacher Report and more. 

 

Role:

 

Directed the ‘Amex x NBA’ ambassador partnership from conception to execution, including, contracting, directing and building the partnership with Don C / RSVP Gallery all influencer content and experiential moments. Led all travel and onsite execution for ambassador content at NBA Tip-Off, ComplexCon and NBA All-Star. 

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Press:

 

• Amex Releases First E-commerce Pop-up at ComplexCon (WWD)

• Marketers Seek Key Consumers at Complex Networks’ ComplexCon (WSJ)

• American Express Launches Don C Sneaker, Dining Pop-Ups With NBA Players Around All-Star (Forbes)

• Don C Teams Up With American Express For Exclusive Release Of His Nike Air Force 1 Collaboration (Sneaker News) 

• Why Designer Don C Is Honoring Chicago With His Nike Air Force 1 Collaboration With Amex (Billboard)

• DON C TALKS AF1 HI ‘JUST DON’ COLLAB WITH AMERICAN EXPRESS & MORE (Slam) 

• Designer Don C talks his Nike Air Force 1 that dropped during NBA All-Star Weekend (The Undefeated) 

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