The Challenge
New York’s basketball team was deep in a finals run, and Citizens wanted to ride the energy in real time. The constraints were tight. We couldn’t use the team name, the team logo or any league marks due to rights restrictions. We could only use orange and blue, the city’s rallying cry and Citizens’ own brand voice. And we only had hours to act.
The Idea
The play that won Game 4 was a tip-in, a missed shot tapped home just before the buzzer. So I made a cheer-on spot that re-enacts that exact play, except the copy does the tapping. A basketball clangs off the rim, and the words “Go NY, Go NY, Go!” fly in to tap the miss home. The spot lands on “New York is made for this,” tying the moment to the Citizens sponsorship platform: championing the fan journey.
What I Did
I built the first (“Go NY”) spot for social and digital signage in five hours. It was fully approved and live one day after the Game 4 win. The full multi-format response came together in three business days. It included a print voucher for a Game 5 watch party at Queens Night Market, congratulatory social content/signage and championship parade merch. When the city showed up, we showed up.
My Role: Concept, Copywriter, Art Director & Animator
In-Branch Digital Signage: Go NY
The day after the historic Game 4 comeback, this ran in branches throughout the city.
Social: Go NY
The day after the historic Game 4 comeback, this spot ran as an Instagram Story and TikTok Story.
Print Voucher: Go NY
This free-food voucher was distributed at a Queens Night Market Game 5 watch party.
Social: Congrats NY
After the team’s championship clinching win, this spot ran as an Instagram Story and a click-to-share employee advocacy post on LinkedIn.
Championship Parade Signage & Merch
In NYC branches, we displayed congratulatory digital signage, put up banners for parade attendees to sign and distributed branded bags.
Credits
Concept: Andrew Ralston Smith
CW: Andrew Ralston Smith
Art Director/Designer: Andrew Ralston Smith
Animator: Andrew Ralston Smith
Squad Lead: Brian Fudge
Social Strategy: Kyle Vascovitz
Brand Team: Amie Kershaw & Caroline Butler
