HONDA BATTLE OF THE BANDS
The Brief
Across three years, Honda Battle of the Bands challenged me to carry one of HBCU culture's most celebrated traditions into new environments—from an HBCU campus to SoFi Stadium—without losing its soul.
Every year asked the same question: how do you honor decades of history while giving every audience a reason to fall in love with it all over again?
info & credits
BRAND: Honda
EVENT NAME: Honda Battle of the Bands
LOCATION: Alabama State University ('23) l SoFi Stadium ('25)
AGENCY: VIVA Creative
CONTENT CREDIT: VIVA Creative
ROLE: Creative Director for Live Event & Pre-event Campaign
EXEC. PRODUCER: Amanda Mack
ART DIRECTOR: Venessa Cami
PRESS: Jennifer Hudson Show, VIBE, Essence, Billboard
pre-event campaign
Building the Hype: Every market required a different story—from introducing HBOB to Los Angeles to rallying an HBCU community. The campaign was designed to build anticipation long before the first band took the field.
Creating Participation: We extended the battle beyond game day with fan voting, band challenges, and milestone reveals, giving audiences a reason to engage months before the event.
Fueling the Rollout: From participating band announcements to talent reveals and key event moments, each piece of content was carefully timed to keep momentum building throughout the campaign.
Black college expo & legacy pre-show
Our goal was to create not just an event, but a moment and a movement—pushing the client and platform further by introducing new elements like:
The Black College Expo: Partnering with NCRF was a game changer, bringing nearly 25K to SoFi for a historic college fair aligned with Honda’s mission to drive the legacy of HBCUs.
Sponsor Integration: After 18 years without sponsors, Honda’s showcase saw renewed brand interest. As CD, I sought to ensure brand hierarchy and kept sponsor efforts focused on celebrating HBCUs and promoting Black excellence.
HBCU West Coast Intro: We created a proper stadium intro for each band with processions that got fans on their feet, and on-screen fun facts highlighting the accomplishments of these game-changing institutions and their stellar musicians getting ready to take to the field.
The Main Event
A Powerful Opening: Before celebrating what made each one unique. Large-scale field formations and opening performances set the tone for a celebration rooted in culture, unity, and tradition.
A Stage to Shine: Once the showcase began, each band was given the space to bring its own sound, style, and school pride to the field—introducing new audiences to the traditions that make HBCU bands so unforgettable.
Beyond the Performance: Between sets, we kept the stadium alive with custom motion graphics, audience interactions, and live segments that transformed the venue itself into part of the entertainment.
Ending on a High Note: Every show closed with a major musical performance, bringing together the worlds of marching bands, hip-hop, and R&B for one final celebration before the lights went down.
