160/90 and Invesco QQQ partnered with Groove Jones to reimagine their Innovation Arena experience for a new B2B trade show conference format — one that was compact, mobile, and just as powerful. Initially designed for the large-scale NCAA Final Four championship fan fest events, the new version needed to maintain the high-energy gameplay and brand storytelling in a smaller footprint.
The result was Beat the Best, an interactive basketball game, powered by computer vision, that let fans go head-to-head with WNBA legend Candace Parker’s college stats.
Making the Game Personal – Beat the Best
Groove Jones reimagined the Final Four gameplay to feature a single-screen format using hand-tracking technology that lets users shoot virtual baskets in real time. Participants faced off against three of Candace’s college stats—Field Goal Percentage, Free Throw Percentage, and Three-Point Percentage—guided by her hologram and a high-energy countdown video.
The interactive experience translated each player’s gestures into shots on the screen, creating a reactive, immersive challenge complete with announcer audio, dynamic lighting, and a virtual crowd. After the game, participants could see how their performance stacked up against Candace’s.
Designed for Social Share Takeaway
To extend the experience beyond the court, Groove Jones developed a new “Pose with Candace Parker” photo moment that users could instantly share on social media.
After each game, players received a personalized digital takeaway via text or email—featuring their gameplay stats, a branded message from Invesco QQQ, Candace’s signature, and a call to action that directed users to learn more about QQQ.
Powered by GrooveTech
The application was built using Groove Jones’ own GrooveTech framework, allowing for rapid development and seamless integration of key systems:
- Mobile Registration using a QR Code and a player’s personal device to start.
- Real-time hand-tracking computer vision to track the player’s shots, ball targeting, and trajectory.
- A dynamic social media share engine allowed fans to pose with Candace Parker at the end of the game. The image was then sent to the participant.
The app ran on a PC, displayed vertically on a 4K monitor, and was built using Unity, React, .NET 8, Node.js, and AWS infrastructure.
The physical booth was designed by the 160over90 creative team and fabricated by 3D Exhibits.
Behind the Scenes
The Groove Jones crew flew to Atlanta, Georgia, where we helped direct the shoot with Candace Parker for the game. Here you can see where we shot Candace on a greenscreen stage.
For the social share video pose animation, Candace signed her autograph on a piece of plexiglass that we had in front of the camera. The Groove Jones team then animated her signature on the screen.
Data-Driven Engagement
Built-in analytics allows 160/90 and Invesco QQQ to track key metrics from gameplay to social shares. Using Groove Jones’ integrated analytics system, the client could monitor engagement and identify user behavior trends across events.
Results
The Beat the Best activation was a high-energy, tech-forward fan experience that extended Invesco QQQ’s brand presence in a memorable, measurable, and highly shareable way. By blending gesture-based gameplay with superstar power and smart data capture, Groove Jones delivered a next-gen sports marketing tool that travels well, drives engagement, and inspires competition.
