All eyes were on Super Bowl LIX on Sunday as the Philadelphia Eagles clinched the Lombardi in a runaway victory against the Kansas City Chiefs (40-22). Once the green and silver confetti settled, fans and analysts alike complained that such a runaway game was plain ‘ol boring. The on-site fan experiences, however, were anything but.
As the world’s largest seller of athletic apparel, it only makes sense that Nike touched down in New Orleans to pull off three Super Bowl weekend activations, not to mention a now-viral commercial seen by a record 127.7 million viewers (per Nielsen records) who tuned into the championship game. Tara Wilson Agency, an experiential marketing agency niche in the sportswear space, was behind all three experiences—the culmination of nearly a decades’ worth of work with Nike, the agency’s founder, Tara Wilson, told Vendelux.
“Relationships can take years to build and turn into big opportunities,”
Wilson said, noting that this was her agency’s second time working the Super Bowl. “Case in point, we started working with Nike in 2015 and didn’t land a Super Bowl project until 2024. During those years, we said ‘yes’ to any opportunity that came our way and we did it gratefully,” she explained.
Wilson’s humility lends itself well to her recent work with Nike, as all three Super Bowl LIX events were executed with “community investment [as] a top priority.”
When asked how Super Bowl-centric fan experiences have evolved over the years, Wilson’s response was also the community-first approach.
“Gone are the days that a funny 30-second ad slot is enough to make a lasting impression,” Wilson said. “To be highly competitive, brands need multiple audience touchpoints, which is where activations can take your campaigns to the next level. […] The biggest evolution we’re seeing is that brands now recognize the true value of creating experiences that directly engage fans and the local community.”
Here’s how Tara Wilson Agency did just that at Super Bowl LIX:
Nike x Academy Sports’ Athlete Appearance with Jevon Holland
To kick off Super Bowl LIX weekend, Nike teamed up with Academy Sports + Outdoors for a Friday-night community event at the sporting goods shop’s NOLA location. As evidenced in the images from the activation, young football fans reveled in taking photos with an oversized, NOLA-purple football helmet that Wilson described as “a fun, bobblehead-style photo moment.” There was also a DJ, giveaways and promo where any attendee who purchased Nike apparel received a personalized, chain-stitched design.
The highlight of the event: A meet-and-greet with the Miami Dolphins’ Jevon Holland, who autographed complimentary footballs.
Super Sole Saturday
Nike partnered with streetwear apparel store City Gear for a pep rally dubbed Super Sole Saturday. It was both a celebration of the Super Bowl and an ode to NOLA’s youth sports culture.
Local students, athletes and fans alike were invited to the event, which included a panel discussion with NFL stars—Tennessee Titans running back Tyjae Spears, New York Jets linebacker Quincy Williams, New York Giants linebacker Kayvon Thibodeaux and Coral Silverberg, an agent and director of football operations at Klutch Sports Group.
In between on-stage programming, there were Mardi Gras-themed beading stations, live marching band performances, bites courtesy of local Cajun food trucks and gaming breaks on a Madden gaming truck. As if that weren’t enough, attendees could also personalize Nike shirts with exclusive Super Bowl patches, and City Gear used the event as a stage to announce its $30,000 donation to support Sole School community giveback programs.
The Big Sneak-Easy
Tara Wilson Agency’s Super Bowl LIX presence culminated with The Big Sneak-Easy event, where Nike once again teamed up with City Gear for an exclusive event that was all about NOLA pride.
“To build anticipation, VIP guests were pre-seeded with Deion Sanders’ iconic Diamond Turf sneakers ahead of the event,” Wilson said, explaining that the event lived up to expectations with a live mural painting by local artist Jay McKay of event host—and hometown football star—Tyjae Spears. McKay also wowed guests by personalizing a pair of Air Force 1s on-site that was later gifted to Spears. For the other guests who didn’t go home with new custom sneakers, Jason Markk was in attendance offering free shoe cleanings.
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Off the field, brands are debatably just as competitive as Big Game players, though brands are competing for fans’ attention. After pulling off three high-profile Super Bowl events, no one knows this more than Wilson. These are the four things she urged fellow event profs to consider ahead of putting on an activation that cuts through the noise:
- Leverage Local Culture: Celebrate what makes the community unique, “and align your brand with the vibrancy of the host city,” Wilson advised.
- Be Shareable on Social: At an event like the Super Bowl, “whether through photo ops, hashtag campaigns or influencer partnerships […] every moment and touchpoint should be sharable,” Wilson said. It also doesn’t hurt that social sharing “ensures your brand gets amplified beyond the event.”
- Tap Into Big Moments and Partnerships: Get inspired by Wilson’s Super Bowl LIX partnerships with star athletes, and collaborate with well-known voices. The key is to ensure they “naturally align with your brand,” Wilson said. Consider it a best practice for “elevating your activation and making it resonate with a broader audience.”
- Make It Personal: “Give fans an experience they can only get during the moment in time. Exclusive drops, co-branded merch and collaborations and personalization are all ways that we ensure our client’s success,” Wilson offered.
