Tabby Trucks & Tunnels: WNBA All-Star 2026 Brand Activations

Aveeno, Coach, Kia and extra get in on the rising WNBA hype

With the WNBA persevering with to hit file viewership and attendance numbers, the league’s 30^th season celebration couldn’t have come at a greater time, and All-Star Weekend in Chicago continued to construct on that momentum.

The sport on July 25 on the United Center was the second most-viewed WNBA All-Star ever, and it introduced within the largest crowd within the occasion’s historical past. But the true kicker was that for the primary time, the WNBA All-Star Game drew extra followers than the NBA All-Star Game.

As the WNBA’s recognition surges, manufacturers are more and more investing in sponsorships and activations that faucet right into a fandom that’s seeking to join with basketball’s rising stars and legends, in addition to a rising sports activities group. During All-Star Weekend, 34 WNBA companions and licensees participated within the WNBA Live fan pageant, July 23-25, at McCormick Place, and extra manufacturers popped up across the host metropolis.

Let’s discover the highest WNBA All-Star touchpoints on the intersection of sports activities, trend and tradition.

AMERICAN EXPRESS

The American Express Fan Experience at WNBA Live challenged basketball followers to an interactive basketball taking pictures contest to earn bespoke telephone chains and charms impressed by Chicago tradition and WNBA fandom. Participants made their manner throughout a WNBA map, taking pictures baskets at three places, and so they earned further charms for every profitable try. Three telephone chain designs have been out there to select from, in addition to eight charms, together with a jersey, sizzling canine, deep-dish slice, Chicago flag and extra. WNBA All-Stars additionally visited the sales space.

Photo credit score: American Express

AT&T

Title sponsor of the WNBA All-Star Game, AT&T turned Pioneer Court right into a model playground. From July 23-25, followers might step onto the courtroom at no cost play, customise an All-Star tote bag, snap images and meet WNBA gamers. At the “Get Buckets for Small Biz” interactive problem, followers unlocked basket-driven, fan-powered donations of as much as $150,000 for 3 Chicago small companies.

AT&T prospects acquired added entry, together with thriller rewards that includes A’ja Wilson- and Sabrina Ionescu-inspired premiums and enhanced experiences all through the area. They additionally had the added bonus of visiting the model’s Chicago State Street retailer on July 23 for a WNBA participant look and ticket giveaways for the sport.

Photo credit: Courtesy of AT&T; Jenna Fernandez

AVEENO x TOGETHXR

Aveeno and ladies’s sports activities media firm TOGETHXR teamed as much as increase followers’ confidence with the Aveeno Scent Tunnel Walk at TOGETHXR House. Tied to the launch of the Aveeno Daily Moisturizing Sensitive Skin Scents assortment, the sensory activation produced customized tunnel movies for attendees and supplied product samples. WNBA participant Cameron Brink, Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles and sports activities analyst Chiney Ogwumike stopped by to participate within the Tunnel Walk.

Photo credit: Aveeno and TOGETHXR

CHASE FREEDOM

On July 24, Chase Freedom pulled as much as Complex Market at CineCity Studios with Cashback Courts, a free fan expertise that supplied viewings of dwell podcast recordings, meals vehicles, a Creator Game, merch drops, prizes and a women-led secondhand market. WNBA stars A’ja Wilson, JuJu Watkins, Lisa Leslie and Candace Parker attended the occasion.

Photos: Courtesy of Chase

COACH

Coach maxed out its experiential engagement in Chicago with three footprints centered on its  “Explore Your Story” marketing campaign. The Coach sales space at WNBA Live included purchasing, picture moments, and meet-and-greets with gamers Lauren Betts and Gabriela Jaquez, attaining 20,000 impressions.

Over at Navy Pier from July 24-25, the “Coach Tabby Tour: Explore Your Story Edition” activation invited customers right into a curated Book Nook, the place they might donate a e-book or uncover a brand new one written about or by feminine athletes. A collaborative Story Wall artwork set up featured prompts about private journeys and self-reflection.

The activation was anchored by the Tabby Truck, a larger-than-life recreation of Coach’s Tabby bag, the place greater than 2,200 customized leather-based bookmarks have been hand-stamped and distributed by model ambassadors. WNBA gamers and content material creators made appearances and handed out free purses to fortunate attendees.

Nearby at Offshore Rooftop, the model hosted a “Coach Story Session” on July 24. Three hundred invited individuals listened in on a dialog between WNBA legend Lisa Leslie and rookie Azzi Fudd, winner of the WNBA 3-Point Contest. Moderated by Jordan Chiles, the dialogue explored confidence, id and the facility of sharing one’s story. (Agency: Activate)

Photo credit: KurtzMedia; The Workmans

GOOGLE PIXEL

“Hoop Dreams” got here true at Google Pixel’s WNBA Live galaxy-themed activation. The cosmic area featured big floating basketballs designed to appear to be planets; a Dream Tunnel with flashing lights, roaring crowd audio and a loudspeaker voiceover; an Imagination Station for images taken with the Pixel’s digital camera and Nano Banana styling; a Dream Chaser interactive digital hunt; and The Rising Hoop, a 30-second taking pictures problem.

Chicago Sky’s Kamilla Cardoso met followers, and A’ja Wilson spoke on her basketball profession in a fireplace chat. Participants got here away with a branded clear tote and a customized “Dreamies” cereal field. (Agency: M Booth)

Photo credit score: Google

KIA x REDDIT

Kia and Reddit hosted the first-ever “Ask Me Anything” session from a claw machine on July 24 and introduced on Chiney Ogwumike to reply questions requested by followers on r/WNBA. At the model’s WNBA Live Night Market footprint, the previous WNBA participant pulled mini balls from the claw machine and cracked them open to disclose a paper with an actual Reddit query. After every response, Ogwumike shot the ball at a mini basketball hoop, and each basket made elevated Kia’s donation to One Warm Coat, totaling $20,000. (Agency: Innocean USA)

Image: Courtesy of Kia

STATE FARM

In addition to its “The Game is Yours” LED courtroom fan expertise at WNBA Live, State Farm sponsored the WNBA 3-Point Contest for the primary time and placed on the State Farm Celeb 3-Point Contest. Celebrity individuals included Keke Palmer, Issa Rae, Maya Higa, Olivia Miles, Allie Clifton and, in fact, Jake from State Farm.

Photo credit: State Farm; Jeff Haynes/NBAE by way of Getty Images

From the WNBA Archives: