HOUSTON – The Houston Texans have been named the winner of Best Comedy Video at the 18th Annual Shorty Awards for "Owning the Moment: Leadership in the Age of Virality". Members of the organization's Digital Media team accepted the award on Tuesday night in New York City. The video also earned bronze honors in the Single Post or Activation Category.
The award-winning video was inspired by a nationally televised accidental missed high-five interaction between Texans Chair and CEO Cal McNair and QB C.J. Stroud that quickly gained traction online. Instead of viewing the moment as something to manage or correct, McNair leaned into the conversation by responding with a fan-first, culturally fluent video that amplified the moment and directly connected with fans.
"We are honored to receive the award for Best Comedy Video," McNair said. "We want to thank the Shorty Awards for continuing to recognize the importance of the growing digital landscape for the last 18 years. We also want to congratulate the other nominees who represent some of the biggest names in comedy and entertainment. This recognition is a testament to our team's creativity and dedication to fearlessly evolving. I'm proud of everyone who produced this award-winning video in less than 24 hours that so many fans enjoyed. We truly owned the moment together."
"This recognition represents the collective work of many across our organization and our commitment to constantly seeking creative, innovative ways to connect with our fans," Texans Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer Doug Vosik said. "It resonated across a variety of different audiences and was made possible by Cal's trust in our team and his dedication to embracing the moment in real time with humor and authenticity."
The video garnered more than 23 million views across Texans-owned channels and spread organically through national sports and culture accounts. Other nominees in the Best Comedy Video category included Jimmy Kimmel, John Mulaney and Owen Thiele, among others.
The Shorty Awards honor the most innovative work in digital and social media by brands, agencies and organizations. Founded in 2008, the Shorty's mission is to celebrate, inspire and push the boundaries of excellence in digital storytelling. Entries are judged on the merits of creativity, strategy, and engagement by the Real Time Academy, a group of industry leaders representing organizations including The Walt Disney Company, National Football League, Digitas, Meta, Amazon, Google, Apple, Netflix, PETA and Bobbie.
To learn more, visit www.ShortyAwards.com.
