Objectives

Bring fans closer to the game by sharing some of its most compelling and special moments – perfect for 6-second loops that fans want to watch over and over again.

Strategy and Execution

At its core, Vine is an instant-gratification, entertainment platform. The NBA's fast-pace and athleticism are tailor-made for the platform's bite-size format.

So, when Vine introduced its native video upload feature over a year ago, the NBA jumped on the opportunity to share the game's best highlights. The league also shared these Vines on Twitter, and quickly realized that they garnered far more fan engagement than traditional videos. A new branded hashtag campaign - #NBAvine – was quickly created.

Recognizing this engagement, the NBA greatly increased its activity on the platform. This approach allowed the NBA to become a leader in total posts and loops – more than the NFL, MLB and NHL combined.

Today, fans scrolling through Twitter on game nights cannot help but find awe-inspiring #NBAvine posts across the NBA Twitter universe that includes @NBA, as well as its community of fan and blogger accounts.

However, the NBA has not just used Vine as a highlight factory. It also entertains and brings fans closer to the game with custom content and behind-the-scenes access. The NBA partners with Vine and leading creators to produce engaging posts around marquee events. Among other recent highlights, these include:

• Warriors' Harrison Barnes taking over the NBA account during a tour of Vine's New York City office.
• Vine influencers creating special effects videos as guests of NBA All-Star 2016.
• Second iteration of Vine's "Kicks Cam" – recording 360-degree videos of NBA players showcasing All-Star sneakers.
• NBA and Vine's co-produced "Weekly Top NBA Plays," the first-ever recurring brand channel.

Results

Due to its compelling content and strategic partnerships, the NBA has emerged as one of Vine's leading publishers. During the past several months, the league became the first brand account to surpass 1 billion video loops and 1 million followers.

Most recently, the NBA garnered a record 100 million loops during All-Star – nearly double the amount of any other account on the platform during that window.

Vine Example - Number of Vine Loops
Russell Westbrook In-Game Highlight - 6,526,560

Aaron Gordon Dunk Contest Highlight - 8,449,058

Special Family Moment Between Steph Curry and daughter Riley - 10,228,625

#TrickShotTuesday with Harrison Barnes at the Vine office - 1,824,906

Dwyane Wade "Kicks Cam" at 2016 NBA All-Star Weekend - 448,750

Media