Building on the momentum of the 2023 NCAA Women's Basketball Final, which drew over 10 million viewers, the "Welcome to the W" campaign launched between the 2024 NCAA Final Four and the WNBA Draft with a clear objective: to bridge the gap between NCAA basketball and WNBA audiences. Led by a trio of comedic films directed by Jake Szymanski (Funny or Die), the campaign skillfully tapped into the rookie-veteran dynamic, capitalizing on the excitement around rising stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. It served as both a welcome to the league for new rookies and an invitation to engage a new school of WNBA fans.
The campaign sparked a major cultural conversation online, successfully engaged college basketball fans, drove unprecedented levels of digital engagement, and culminated in the most-watched WNBA Draft in the league's 28-year history.
In addition to running the films across broadcast, social, and digital, our campaign featured prominent out-of-home activations in Portland, Albany, and Cleveland during the NCAA Women's March Madness. Fans on the ground were greeted by powerful "Welcome to the W" declarations for incoming rookies sourced directly from league veterans Arike Ogunbowale, Breanna Stewart, A’ja Wilson, Brittney Griner, and Nneka Ogwumike.
