Michelob ULTRA, the official beer sponsor of the NBA, wanted to capitalize on nostalgia surrounding the NBA’s 75th anniversary to create an earned media splash around the 2022 NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland, Ohio. The brand partnered with the iconic arcade franchise NBA JAM, to not just create social content that garnered a few headlines, but to build an immersive experience on the ground for NBA fans around the biggest all-star game in professional sports, centered around a limited-edition NBA JAM x Michelob ULTRA beer can–available only during All-Star Weekend.

We created Boom Shaka Laka’s, an NBA JAM-only “beercade”. The experience was more than just a bar takeover, it was a real-life manifestation of the campaign where every element came to life with stunning attention to detail. The bar was designed to make guests feel like they had stepped inside the world of NBA JAM. Entering through a light tunnel and a giant ULTRA-branded NBA JAM cabinet, guests were surrounded by custom game cabinets, photo ops, retro arcade lighting and design elements that encouraged them to “Enjoy It Like It’s 1993.” The centerpiece, Boom Shaka Laka’s stage, held a 90s throwback concert with DJ Jazzy Jeff and Fat Joe and panel discussions with Clyde Drexler, James Worthy, Dikembe Mutombo and Dominique Wilkins, hosted by the voice of NBA JAM, Tim Kitzrow. Even the music featured iconic phrases from the game mixed in.

The experience was so well received that NBA on TNT captured the footprint and featured it during the NBA Dunk Contest, and it is currently a finalist for Best Sports Activation at the 2022 Ex Awards.