SMART, an official partner of basketball global governing body FIBA, leveraged the 2023 FIBA World Cup – held in The Philippines – by erecting the biggest outdoor basketball installation ever.
The OOH August stunt saw the existing 100-foot and 450-ton MOA Ball – the biggest sculpture in The Philippines – transformed into a giant basketball with the addition of a colossal hoop and net.
The objective was to promote the world’s biggest basketball tournament in the biggest way to the host nation, the world and to highlight SMART official tournament sponsor status.
The communications and telco brand, the biggest in The Philippines, developed the giant outdoor installation in harness with local independent agency GIGIL and Up Rising Media Marketing Corporation, plus outdoor specialist METROPOLIS.
As well as being passed in person by hundreds of thousands of Filipinos every day, the 10-storey high ‘Ball Of Asia’ activation was amplified across the telco’s online platforms and spread nationally and international through social and traditional media coverage.
The ball was just one aspect of SMART’s integrated tournament activation programme which ranged from match-related, low latency social, to mobile streaming, AI, apps and on-site branded booths.
According to the agency, in the digital space alone, the activation generation more than 13m views, 716,000 engagements, 35,000 shares and earned ₱31,620,768.64 in equivalent media value.
“Bringing to life GIGIL Philippines’ larger-than-life idea required teamwork and close collaboration among all stakeholders,” said SMART AVP Brand Equity Management Edward Martinez. “Everyone–from our top leadership and Internal Media team in Smart to FIBA –was truly committed to dress up the town for the games like never before. Like the Gilas team’s battlecry, ‘PUSO’ talaga ang kinailangan.
“We would also like to give special thanks to our OOH vendor, Up Rising, for really rising to the challenge and finishing the MOA Ball in time for the games despite weeks of heavy rains,” continued Martinez. “We feel very proud to be part of such a historic event for Filipinos. It all really goes beyond our love for basketball because ultimately, it is about bringing pride and recognition to our country.”
The campaign wax created for and briefed in by a team at SMART led by Francis Flores (Head of Consumer Wireless), Lloyd Manaloto (FVP of Corporate Brand), Edward Martinez (AVP of Corporate Brand), Lorenzo Torres (Brand Equity Manager), Mei Orcena (Media Manager), Kaye Evangelista (Media Junior Manager), Jane Angeles (AVP Media Hub), Mon Samarista (Dept Head/VP of Marketing Services Operations), Jude Turcuato (FVP of Sports), Paolo Zulaybar (Creative Design Manager) and Kristoffer Calubad (Creative Design Motion Artist).
The lead agency was GIGIL Group where the group working on the activation included Founding Partners Herbert Hernandez and Badong Abesamis, Managing Partner Jake Yrastorza, Group Account Directors Micco Balana and Bev Lubid, Associate Account Director Adel Clemente, Account Managers Jus Patacsil and Pata Delos Reyes, Account Executive: Ralph Samson, Creative Directors Dionie Tanada and Jordan Constantino, Associate Creative Directors Hope Reyes, Dana De Leon, Sajid Guerrero and JR Bumanglag, Senior Copywriters Greggy Gregorio and Samuel Mateo, Senior Art Directors Ronchris Cosme, Samantha Padua, Seph Asentista and Ricia Deguito, plus Art Directors Doms De Luna, Rain Landingin and Joaquin Diaz. The team at Uprising was led by CMO John Andes and COO Onet Diño, while a group at METROPOLIS working on the project included General Manager Andre Abad and Senior OOH Manager Mark Ibardaloza.
Comment
It was back in 2020 that FIBA unveiled its global partnership with SMART – The Philippines’ biggest mobile services provider.
The deal indeed seemed a smart one (excuse us), as 2023 tournament host The Philippines has developed into a genuine basketball loving nation: with substantial portions of the population living and breathing the game and high NBA viewing figures to boot.
Indeed, the 2023 FIBA World Cup was by far the biggest hoops tournament ever held in the country. The contest generated plenty of international interest: especially around the struggles of the high profile US team whose NBA stars were beaten not only by eventual champions Germany but also by local rivals Canada.
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