Project Overview

From courts to comment sections, basketball culture is more than a game — it’s a lifestyle. So when Metro by T-Mobile, an official NBA sponsor, teamed up with Giannis “The Greek Freak” Antetokounmpo during the 2019 NBA Playoffs, we set out to create more than just branded content. We built The Biggest Game of H-O-R-S-E, a digital-first, fan-driven campaign that tapped into the heart of hoops culture, one trick shot at a time.

At the center of the campaign was a bold challenge: fans could recreate influencer-submitted trick shots for a chance to meet Giannis on set at a Metro commercial shoot. With the help of basketball content creators like Tristan Jass, Jesser, Kris London, and Cash Nasty, the game was on, and fans across the country laced up.

Our Approach

We knew this campaign had to live where basketball fans already are: on social media, in motion, and deep in conversation. So we built a content-driven, culture-led campaign that put the community at the center.

Each Monday during the NBA Playoffs, our influencers kicked off weekly challenges by posting a wild, creative shot to Instagram. Fans responded with their own takes, using #MetroFreak and tagging the influencers to enter. Every week, one winner per influencer was chosen to join their team for a tournament showdown.

To keep the momentum going, we wrapped the campaign in a bold visual identity. The art direction combined gritty action shots of Giannis, bold typographic overlays, and animated flavor bursts — all subtly anchored in Metro’s core color palette. Think mixtape energy meets mobile-first design: sharp, shareable, and impossible to ignore.

The Digital Tip-Off: Activating Fans Through Culture-Driven Content

The Biggest Game of H-O-R-S-E didn’t just run on digital; it ruled it. From influencer feeds to paid social, Stories to static, we met fans in the spaces they already inhabited with content that felt like it belonged there. Every asset was crafted to resonate with basketball culture and the crossover energy of hip-hop: bold, confident, and community-powered.

The four winning fans were flown to Oakland to compete in a final tournament, with the grand prize being a meet-and-greet with Giannis at a commercial shoot. But beyond the contest, what made this campaign truly move was its authenticity. It wasn’t just about likes — it was about participation, pride, and the thrill of being part of something bigger.

In the end, Metro didn’t just sponsor a game. It helped shape a cultural moment. From user-generated highlights to real-time reactions, we proved that with the right approach, a wireless brand can connect with fans in a way that feels real, relevant, and unforgettable.