WNBA: Built Different
Building hype through an experiential brand collab
The Ask: Make people give a damn about the WNBA.
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Long Story Short: Through strategic timing and experiential marketing, the WNBA and Supreme can leverage each other’s social currencies and audiences.
The Problem
The WNBA is struggling to survive
Ticket sales are low, merch is scarce, and TV time slots are bad. The WNBA Franchise Graveyard looms over the remaining teams (RIP Cleveland Rockers!).
The Insight
The WNBA isn't an inferior NBA. It's a league of its own.
Athletic Excellence
Women's basketball has a style of play that requires top-tier skills.
A Culture of Inclusivity
The WNBA is known for embracing and empowering everyone, specifically, women, minorities, and the LGBT+ community.
Athletic appreciation + cultural presence = League support
Before we can get people to watch the games, the league needs to showcase the style of play and make the WNBA culturally relevant.
The WNBA needs some hype.
Enter Supreme:
The expert on hype and collabs
Supreme, the streetwear brand known for sold-out collabs and $30 bricks, has mastered the art of hype.
Using Supreme’s guerilla marketing and strategic “drop” timing will position the WNBA as a covetable cultural brand, not just a sport.
Hypebeast Meme, 2016
But Supreme is
losing street cred
Supreme has been repeatedly called out for its lack of diversity, exploitation of women, and a general sentiment that straight white guys are the default. As the brand grew, its streetwear identity was co-opted by suburban teens.
Raekwon and his bodyguard for Supreme, 2005
In 2023, Tremaine Emory became Supreme’s first Black creative director. Known for his unflinching anti-racism designs, he joined with the hope of bringing a socially conscious perspective to the brand.
(Seemingly) ready to shed its suburban white boy image in favor of an inclusive, modern direction, Supreme could benefit from the WNBA’s brand of social awareness.
A New Direction for Supreme*
*Sorta kinda not really. We’ll circle back to this.
The Spark
From Merch to a Moment
I was inspired by Untold: The Rise and Fall of And1. Streetball is an experience that captures the heart of the game, while also providing a new source of excitement, connection, and hype.
The Collab: WNBA x Supreme
We're partnering with Supreme to build hype around the WNBA through a guerrilla campaign, exclusive merch, a brand film, and an unforgettable event.
The Warm-Up
Guerrilla Marketing
A suspenseful guerrilla campaign that captures the rule-defying attitudes of Supreme, WNBA, and New York City
Driving Website Traffic with Vague Out-of-Home
The Main Event
The WNBA x Supreme "Built Different" All-Star Game
The top women's basketball players in the country, from high school up to the pros, will come together and put on a show in front of basketball legends, fashion icons, tastemakers, and today's hottest musicians.
Attendees will have access to event-exclusive Supreme x WNBA shirts from a digital vending machine.
Overtime
Supreme’s off-season = WNBA’s on-season
Supreme shoppers are used to the store's annual spring off-season. But this year, we're catching their attention with an unexpected capsule drop during WNBA's playoffs.
Watch the game to unlock the site
Site visitors must correctly answer a question about the previous night's playoff game. This drives game viewership, SEO, and conversations about the WNBA.
*2 years later: Maybe Supreme wasn’t ready to change
Leaving Supreme
Tremaine Emory left Supreme after less than 2 years as CD. He has criticized Supreme for upholding systemic racism throughout the company.
WNBA Needs to Pivot
Without evidence of substantial change to the company culture, WNBA x Supreme may no longer be mutually beneficial or aligned with the WNBA’s values.
A New Partnership
A collab with Work In Progress highlights Carhartt’s streetwear line and legacy of supporting women.
At the same time, this partnership showcases the WNBA’s endurance, inclusivity, and fight for equal pay.
Conclusion
Strategic partnerships ensure that the WNBA gets the revenue and hype it needs to solidify its place in pop culture, while leaning into what makes the league elite: The WNBA is Built Different.
The Dream Team
Shanice Aga (XD)
Taylor Bendus (CW)
Cat Clark (AD)
Anari Fleming (ST & WNBA stan)
Max Warren (CBM & 2K semi-pro)