Trending PR Campaigns
Shaq Takes on the AI Basketball Robot
NordVPN put Shaquille O’Neal on a makeshift basketball court in Times Square to block shots from volunteers, turning antivirus protection into a playful defence drill. The brand used the stunt to promote its security software, while Shaq told Gizmodo he’d be up for playing against an AI robot.
Why it worked: It hijacked the AI-sports news cycle with a clear visual metaphor—Shaq-as-firewall—plus a celebrity soundbite challenging a robot opponent.
The lesson: Consider staging a simple, visual stress-test of your product’s promise and pair it with a bold, quotable challenge to a trending technology.
Coverage over time
How this story spread across the media
| Publication | Headline | Date |
|---|---|---|
| gizmodo.com | Shaq Says He'd Play Basketball Against an AI Robot | Thursday 8th October, 2026 |
| gadgetreview.com | Shaq Says He'd Play Basketball Against an AI Robot. The Robots Aren't Ready Yet. - Gadget Review | Thursday 8th October, 2026 |