Big hit for Bulls, 'Benny's Day Off' connects online
CHICAGO (AP) — Dancing on the roof, microphone in hand as he lip-synched to "Twist and Shout," Benny the Bull was putting on quite a performance as his tricked-out black van rolled through downtown Chicago.
The story starring the Chicago Bulls' mascot played out almost in real time on social media on a recent Monday, with scenes posted on Snapchat right after they were recorded throughout the day.
The NBA, including team and player accounts, has about 1.3 billion likes and followers over various social media platforms.
The Bulls, by their own count, rank second to the Los Angeles Lakers among major North American sports franchises, with nearly 25 million followers across Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, YouTube and Instagram.
NBA associate vice president of social media Sam Farber said a "vast majority" who follow the league's account are younger than 24.
The NBA's relationship with Snapchat started in 2014 and expanded this season with more in-game content and behind-the-scenes coverage.
The shoot starts in a storage room just off the United Center floor that's stuffed with costumes and uniforms.
The Second City crew had to be available, and the shoots at the shop in Chinatown and the movie theater had to be arranged.
[...] City's Jeffrey Murdoch is channeling Ben Stein as the economics teacher as he takes attendance.
Instead of a classic 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California, they're using a vintage 1998 Lexus ES 300 that Bulls manager of corporate communications Ross Lipschultz purchased from his grandparents.
The bull in the China shop drops a large glass egg — which actually lands on a team employee lying on the floor off camera — before getting kicked out of the store.
There's Benny, to the tune of "Danke Schoen," standing outside a North Side movie theater and two "fans" freaking out as he passes them on an escalator.
Not long after, he's shown leaning against the side of his van with a large image of him and the Bulls' logo, before climbing onto the roof and sitting on top as it rolls through the Old Town neighborhood toward downtown.