The Jordan Brand set the stage by having Nas perform a live set for the 2,500 guests in attendance and featured a stuntman jumping out of a helicopter into the Hudson River before Carmelo Anthony's image appeared in spectacular fashion.

Wieden + Kennedy's use of projection technology demonstrates how brands can leverage iconic locations at night in new ways to launch products, conduct guerrilla marketing activity, or make a memorable splash.

Check out the amazing product launch display below and click here for more information:

The result? The Athletics Department's loose, creative mentality created a sensational viral video that has attracted the attention of ESPN, USA Today, NBCSports.com, and more. While the video just surpassed the 25,000 mark, it's well on its way to becoming a hot topic of discussion within all of sports.

In the video, Rosco pays homage to several of the school's major donors and philanthropists, all-time legends, and new basketball facilities. The high quality video features several viewpoints of the Stroh Center and lyrics that are simple, yet catchy.

Check out the terrific venue launch video below:

The result? The Washington Huskies football team was able to effectively convey to fans what it's like to lead a football team during a game, including:

• Calling plays in the huddle
• Taking snaps from center
• Identifying defensive schemes
• Scrambling on the run
• Listening to coaches provide instruction
• Staring down defenders
• Throwing passes
• Motivating teammates
• Scoring touchdowns

The insider video, posted by Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian on YouTube, truly serves as a best-in-class execution that should be benchmarked by all sports organizations (either during practice, Spring games, exhibition games, etc.). The video has attracted 44,000+ views. Check it out below:

Sarkisian recently followed up the Huskies' "Inside the Huddle" access with two (2) terrific Fall Camp 2011 videos, profiling the football team behind-the-scenes. Check them out below:

A special thanks to Rising Star Mark Gallo of Anheuser-Busch for his insights and contributions to this column!

However, while the campaign proved to be very successful in North America, Heineken took the campaign to another level in Taiwan. Heineken launched an interactive YouTube videowhere consumers can engage with various elements of the commercial. By providing consumers with an opportunity to have control of their experience viewing "The Entrance", Heineken can likely generate higher brand/campaign recall and a higher viewer propensity to share. 

The video's interactivity demonstrates how marketers have only begun to scratch the surface when it comes to fully utilizing YouTube as a messaging and engagement platform - especially in relation to the sports.

Check out the engaging YouTube campaign below!

(Please note: You will need to input your date of birth for verification purposes before viewing).

A special thanks to Cameron North of AdSport for his insights and contributions to this column!

FC Barcelona recently unveiled one of the most unique approaches when it launched a cartoon vignette to welcome Cesc Fabregas, one of the greatest soccer players in the world, to their organization. The vignette features a mix of humor, pop culture, and creativity to welcome their new star player back home.

Check it out below and consider how your organization can capitalize on a similar business approach during free agency!

This marketing stunt would work extremely well to promote premier UFC (and other MMA) events in high-traffic locations and stadiums (wrapping poles in the concourse to promote upcoming events) worldwide.

Check out adidas' creative execution below:

Now, two years after the launch of the Evian Roller Babies, the brand is still capitalizing. Evian launched a "Let's Baby Dance" campaign that enables consumers to film a video of themselves dancing while wearing a virtual baby shirt to become a part of the longest music video ever produced. The microsite includes tabs where consumers can purchase t-shirts and ringtones utilized in the campaign and download an official iPhone application.

Evian is supporting the campaign with a fully-branded Facebook Page and YouTube page that host a series of entertaining virals. Check out two of the "Baby Inside" virals produced to date:

Evian even produced a version in support of the 2011 Wimbledon tournament, in which the brand was an official sponsor:

The campaign is extremely simple yet brilliant because it demonstrates how teams and brands alike can bring commercial campaigns to life online and potentially capitalize on new streams of revenue from apparel/licensing. If a team/league were able to benchmark this effort and generate buzz around an item of apparel online, they could surely create demand and capitalize on licensing.

Check out some snapshots of the "Lets Baby Dance" microsite below:

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As sports properties look to produce new content to engage fans during the offseason, they should consider creating a viral piece that highlights humorous moments on and off the court throughout the season (or over the course of a tournament/event day). From television broadcasts to video board footage, this could actually be a relatively easy task for many teams to compile and produce.

Enclosed below a recent clip from an unofficial source that highlights all the hilarious moments from the 2011 Wimbledon tournament. The clip generated 80,000+ views in less than 2 weeks on YouTube, signaling the fact that fans enjoy consuming this type of content.

Check it out below:

The adidas marketing stunt was creatively executed and served as a great way to generate buzz and excitement at a relatively low cost. Check it out below:

It would be interesting to see professional sports teams benchmark this marketing/PR stunt to drive awareness and excitement for new merchandise items throughout the season. Teams could set up mystery boxes throughout the concourse (staffed by interns) giving away free apparel and premium giveaways - a tactic designed to drive traffic and sales in the official team shop.

On June 4th-5th, Red Bull Racing teamed up with driver Sebastien Buemi to host an unforgettable showcar appearance in the streets of Japan and complemented the event by raising funds for earthquake relief efforts by selling limited edition t-shirts that generated proceeds for devastated areas.

The unique Red Bull Racing events attracted a crowd of 25,000 spectators and media outlets to the Big Beach Music Festival Makuhari to see Buemi steering his powerful Formula 1 vehicle through a crowded marketplace. The event marked the first time that an F1 vehicle had been driven through the streets of Japan.

The following day, Sebastien Buemi and the Red Bull Racing team put on a thrilling display at the Yokohama Motomachi Shopping Street, where 11,000 fans witnessed a series of burnouts, turning donuts, and straightline runs first-hand. Red Bull's F1 stunt generated notable coverage throughout the country and was picked up on a number of major media outlets.

Check out two videos that capture the events below:

A special thanks to Yuki Suzuki of Japan for her insights and contributions to this column!