Looking to build greater engagement among its European fan base, the National Basketball Association (NBA) has released Hoop Cities, an eight part docuseries that explores “the culture, history and connective power of basketball in Europe”. As part of the project it collaborated with Saatchi & Saatchi UK on a new visual identity for the series that revolves around the basketball court itself.

Using motion design, the identity features a flexible frame that adapts to different formats and content. The frame works in tandem with short clips of basketball games being played out across different European cities, complementing the movement of the players and the ball.

“Keeping basketball at the heart of the idea, we used the court to flex our conceptual design and motion capabilities, unifying players, communities, and cultures,” explains Nathan Crawford, executive design director at Saatchi & Saatchi. “By pulling together the visual identity across formats, we hope we’ve captured the connecting power that the NBA has across Europe.”

Hoop Cities was rolled out across the NBA’s social media channels and OOH and marks an important step in achieving the association’s long-term vision of a broader and more engaged fan base. Currently the second most popular sport in the US, the NBA hopes to stimulate a similar level of enthusiasm for basketball in the 215 other countries around the world where it is present.

Credits
Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
ECD: William John
Executive Design Director: Nathan Crawford
Designer & Motion: Dani Wolf, Rod Castellari, Kris Miklos, Jay De Silva, David West, Steven Tinkler