"Industry Innovators 2023: 10 Brands Redefining Event Marketing" is sponsored by Gladiator Productions, a new kind of production company igniting magic in the arena of live events, entertainment, and experience. We consistently partner with our clients by providing high-touch service through every step of the production process.
The Basics: Through its partnerships with brands—sports leagues in particular—the telecommunications giant has been able to show off its latest and greatest technology—including augmented reality and artificial intelligence—as it engages fans at major events.
For example, during the recent NBA playoffs, AT&T unveiled an automated 20-foot-tall basketball in Los Angeles that disseminated autographed basketballs, game tickets, and cash. AT&T customers could activate the giant gumball machine through a QR code on their mobile phones.
At the NCAA Final Four Fan Fest, attendees were able to show off their skills on an LED basketball court.Photo: Itani Gardens for AT&T
At the NCAA Final Four Fan Fest, attendees were able to show off their skills on an LED basketball court, making as many baskets as possible in a row with real-time interactions at the AT&T Hot Streak activation. Also, the NCAA recently announced an extension to its partnership with AT&T until the end of the 2024-25 academic year.
And in January at Kaseya Center (formerly American Airlines Arena, FTX Arena, and Miami-Dade Arena), AT&T combined AI and fiber optics to produce kinetic renderings of player movement and shot charts. Called Connected Canvas, the digital art installation pulled in these custom data sets to create shareable and interactive artwork for fans.
The "heat" map installation features a map that uses AI to chart each player’s shots over the course of a game with animations that grow in size and change in color as players rack up points.Photo: Courtesy of AT&T
Lessons Learned: “Post-pandemic, we are always trying to find new ways to extend on-site experiences to fans across the country,” said Sabina Ahmed, assistant vice president of sponsorships and experiential at AT&T. “It’s important and critical to keep fans at the core of everything we do, so we want to broaden these experiences in a way where fans can participate and get involved no matter where they are located.”
Up Next: Ahmed said that the brand aims to activate at events in a “broad range of categories to appeal to our existing audience and also grow new audiences.” Coming up is the third AT&T Annihilator Cup (AT&T’s first fully owned gaming tournament), the WNBA All-Star Game, and the MLS All-Star Game.
AT&T unveiled an automated 20-foot-tall basketball in Los Angeles that disseminated autographed basketballs, game tickets, and cash. AT&T customers could activate the giant gumball machine through a QR code on their mobile phones.Photo: John Parra/Getty Images
