• by Staff Writers , September 5, 2008

Finalist - New/Experimental/Emerging Media

Max Heilbron; Kate Hironaka

By creatively utilizing RSS technology across online banners, instant messaging, interactive billboards and in-mall, the 2008 NBA Playoffs delivered specific, timely tune-in messaging to fans on the move, prompting them to tune into the series. Since the content depended on the outcome of the game the night before, the NBA used the RSS feeds of real-time data that usually only go to its broadcast and business partners. That info was matched with existing videos and photos of the postseason teams and players. Clever use of instant messaging tapped the RSS info to give users current game scores and video highlights. In shopping malls, NBA interactive stations invited people to "play along" as a team from that night's match-up, while seeing current game scores.