Seattle Storm “Pure Champions” Campaign

The Seattle Storm, two-time WNBA champions, needed to sell more tickets and increase its fan base.

Research showed that, overwhelmingly, women are the ones that plan social outings for family and friends. Problem is, they’re not necessarily that into sports. We needed to convince them that going to a Storm game is about more than just basketball—that it’s a viable entertainment option. First, we created a strong verbal and visual identity for the Storm that defines what the Storm is, who the Storm is, and what sets the Storm apart. Then we extended it to a full media campaign, with campaign tactics sharply focused on raising awareness and getting new fans in seats.

How did we do it? With a full arsenal of media, both traditional and digital: TV spots, Billboards, Print ads, Posters, Game day promos, In-arena and online digital assets. All tactics consistently define the Storm, relate it to Seattle and the community, and set it apart from other entertainment choices—with a constant rally cry to “be part of it.”

We achieved our goals of increasing both awareness and game attendance, while at the same time increasing return on advertising spend. Our results for the season were: Single game ticket sales for advertised games up 33%, Group ticket sales up 19%, Total ticket revenue up: 19%, 134% increase in return on advertising spend