The NBA brings joy to billions. Yet its joy isn’t equally accessible to all. So as a brand that famously believes “It’s Only Worth It If You Enjoy It,” Michelob ULTRA needed to plant its flag in the cultural conversation about accessibility in sports.
Problem: 284 million sports fans worldwide struggle to enjoy live games because they’re blind or visually impaired. They can listen to play-by-play commentary, but anyone who loves basketball knows there’s more to the game.
Insight: The joy of being a basketball fan comes from truly feeling the game.
Strategy: Translate the action of a basketball game into a language that blind and visually impaired fans can feel, not just listen to.
We developed groundbreaking technology that immersed blind and visually impaired fans in the joy of live sports. Launching the technology during the Playoffs kick-started our commitment to making the joy of sports accessible to all.
Cameron Black was born completely blind. But it didn’t stop him from having big dreams, specifically of being a sports broadcaster. On April 21, 2023, Michelob ULTRA made his dream a reality. We worked with Cameron over the course of a year to develop a groundbreaking, multisensorial technology that allowed him to fully experience and commentate a game. Through data and A.I., he was able to understand and feel every gameplay moment and every movement. And he got to share his views with millions of sports fans.
Our partnership with Cameron during the NBA Playoffs was only the beginning of a larger commitment to accessibility. In October 2023, Michelob ULTRA will make this technology available to everyone, with a free app that uses sound, haptics, and spatial audio, specially designed for the visually impaired. Our mission will extend beyond basketball to the worlds of soccer, football, and baseball.
AWARDS
Cannes Lions 2023
- Entertainment for Sport Grand Prix
- 1 Bronze in Entertainment for Sport
- 1 Gold, 1 Silver in Media
- 1 Silver in Design
- 1 Silver in Radio & Audio
- 1 Bronze in Digital Craft
CREDITS
Brand: Michelob Ultra (AB InBev).
Advertising Agency: FCB, New York.
Country: USA.
Production: DaHouse Audio Los Angeles ; HELO Santa Monica ; NEPYRU London.
PR: 3 PM New York.
Media: Starcom, New York.
