ESPN

Creating an anti-bullying IRL experience at the Winter + Summer X Games

THE REALITY

With increased competition and declining attention spans, ESPN knew it needed to do something different to connect with young viewers. ESPN understands the value of aligning itself with cause, but wasn't sure how to bring its cause initiatives to life in a way that felt authentic and engaging to young people. ESPN had consistently supported anti-bullying efforts, including sponsoring a very successful Shred Hate campaign with DoSomething.org. ESPN wanted a way to bring those efforts to life through a unique experience at the X Games in Aspen and Minneapolis.

OUR APPROACH

We knew we wanted to equip young people with the tools to combat bullying, but also maintain the fun and competitive spirit of the event. Using a 120-foot screen, we developed a larger-than-life interactive video game where visitors could Shred Hate by using their body to shred life-sized negative words and phrases similar to the popular Fruit Ninja video game. We also created a custom GIF booth and welcomed star athletes to sign autographs and share their own anti-bullying experiences.

THE IMPACT

We welcomed 20,000 fans between the Winter and Summer X Games – more than quadrupling the number of visitors ESPN usually sees in their X Games booth.