GIFERATOR generated a live stream of animated GIFs triggered by the action unfolding on TV. Real-time ads, tailored to fans of each of the 32 NFL teams, reached audiences on second screen devices where they were already looking for content about their favorite teams and live games. Fans could also take control of the GIFERATOR and create their own GIFs on any device. We revealed an army of self-made copywriters, creating GIFs about football, pop culture, and everything inbetween.

GIFERATOR exploded into every corner of online culture with massive adoption by fans, NFL teams and players, and even other brands. We automatically generated more than 2,000 GIFs in real-time, and fans took over with more than 400,000 GIFs of their own, sharing (and resharing) them massively online. More than 160 media outlets piled in, fanning the flames for what quickly grew to become one of the year’s top memes. Adweek called the campaign “One of the most innovative digital ad products of 2014”, and Tumblr listed the campaign as one of its most reblogged memes of the year.

Fewer people are playing Madden than they once did, despite the fact that NFL ratings are higher than ever. To launch Madden NFL 15, EA Sports needed the popular franchise to regain its cultural relevance and connect with a new generation of football fans—an audience who shares in the love of the NFL’s rivalries. Those rivalries unfold massively online throughout the NFL season, especially in GIFs and memes, a favorite language of social networks across the internet.

We created Madden GIFERATOR, a real-time NFL GIF engine that let fans celebrate winning moments and zing their rivals throughout the season. With each brag-worthy NFL play, GIFERATOR dynamically combined relevant Madden game footage, stinging headlines, and dynamic stats to instantly deliver share-worthy content at the height of the conversation.