THE 14TH ANNUAL SHORTY AWARDS

The Shorty Awards honor the best of social media and digital. View this season's finalists!

Industry

See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Auto See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Beauty See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Business to Business See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Consumer Brand See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Education See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Entertainment See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Financial Services See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Fitness, Health, & Wellness
<br>See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Food & Beverage
See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Gaming See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Government & Politics See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Hospitality See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Insurance See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Live Events See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> News & Media See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Non-Profit See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Pets & Animals See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Pharma & Healthcare See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Real Estate See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Restaurants See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Retail & E-Commerce See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Social Activism See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Sports See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Technology See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Television See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Travel & Tourism See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Wine, Beer & Spirits

Strategy & Engagement

See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Brand Partnership See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Call to Action See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Community Management See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Creative Use of Technology See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> CTV/OTT See previous winners and honorees for Insights and Trends here.</a> <a href=https://shortyawards.com/17th/"https://shortyawards.com/category/16th/data-visualization">See previous winners and honorees for Data Visualization here.</a>"> Data & Insights See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Earned Media See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Event & Experiential See previous winners and honorees here.</a>""> Gamification See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Humor See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Innovative Media Buying Strategy See previous winners and honorees here.</a>""> Integration with Traditional Media See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Internal Communications See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> LGBTQ Community Engagement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Micro-Influencer Strategy See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Multicultural Community Engagement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Music & Dance See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> On a Shoestring See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Organic Promotion See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Paid & Amplification See previous winner and honorees here.</a>"> Physical and Digital Convergence See previous winner and honorees here.</a>"> Public Service Announcement See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Real Time Response See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> SEO & SEM See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Social Commerce See previous winners and honorees here.</a>"> Storytelling

Indiana Fever

Entered in Sports

Objective

With the top pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft and unprecedented attention on our franchise, our main objective for the 2024 Indiana Fever season was to create captivating content that not only engaged but also educated and expanded our fanbase.

We anticipated significant growth in our social media following with the addition of Caitlin Clark. To put this in perspective, here’s where we were on April 14, 2024 (the day before the draft) and where we stand today (2/20/25):

Instagram: 133K → 642K
X: 78K → 204.2K
Facebook: 113K → 878K
TikTok: 54K → 332.3K
Threads: 20K → 128K
YouTube: 5K → 108K

With the incredible growth of our audience, we focused on content that would set us apart from the pack with unique, first-of-its-kind content. We aimed to operate like a 24-hour news cycle so we would never miss an opportunity to maximize our exposure. Additionally, we were mindful of our new fanbase, many of whom were unfamiliar with the Indiana Fever prior to Caitlin’s arrival. To foster a deeper connection with these newer fans, we consistently provided educational materials that highlighted our entire roster, our organization, and the WNBA as a whole.

In addition, we wanted to thoughtfully tell Caitlin Clark’s story and highlight her broader impact on women’s sports—positioning her not just as a player but as a catalyst for change.

Strategy

From the moment Caitlin Clark was drafted, we immediately set our strategy in motion. Between April 14 and April 17, we rolled out 45 pieces of content across multiple platforms, including this cutting-edge 3D animation (https://www.tiktok.com/@indianafever/video/7358244269297077546?utm_campaign=tt4d_open_api&amp;utm_source=awaummrr6u2zxspf) that introduced our highly-touted No. 1 pick to our audience. This fast-paced content rollout not only captured attention but set the tone for the season.

A major part of our strategy was to educate our fans about Caitlin, the team, and the WNBA. We achieved this through a mix of informative and visually engaging educational content. This included get-to-know graphics, explainer videos on WNBA events, and subtle player name/number placements across almost every graphic, ensuring that fans became familiar with our entire roster over time. We didn’t just want to show players but to help our audience form a connection with them. As Caitlin broke records, we also rolled out visually appealing graphics and videos to highlight her incredible accomplishments and dynamic presence.

When the Olympics break hit, we saw another opportunity to showcase our players' personalities during a mini-game tournament hosted by our coach. We used this content to further demonstrate how our team’s chemistry was growing and how our story was progressing into the second half of the season.

We also increased our footprint on YouTube with long-form content that dug deeper into our team’s story. Through the Fever All-Access Series, we provided a behind-the-scenes look at our roster and front office, complemented by practice workouts, player interviews, and other exclusive content that gave fans access like never before.

Additionally, we crafted a well-rounded narrative around Caitlin Clark’s impact, showcasing not just her skills but her personality. This included social media graphics, personality-driven video pieces, and quote graphics, all highlighting Caitlin’s journey. We also captured her experiences on the road—showing sold-out crowds and interactions with fans—further humanizing Caitlin and solidifying her place in the hearts of her new fanbase.

Results

We were correct in anticipating our follower growth to increase dramatically this past season. Here's a look at our follower growth from April 14, 2024 (we often use this as a starting point for a new season), to 2/20/2025:

Instagram: 133K → 642K
X: 78K → 204.2K
Facebook: 113K → 878K
TikTok: 54K → 332.3K
Threads: 20K → 128K
YouTube: 5K → 108K

In addition, we consistently were at the Top for engagement and video views (Top 1-2 every month of the season). We:

Media

Video for Indiana Fever

Entrant Company / Organization Name

Indiana Fever

Links

Entry Credits