[By NBC-1TV H. J Yook]Turkish Airlines, one of the world’s fastest growing airlines that was recently voted Europe’s Best Airline for the third year in a row, has been awarded the Most Viral Celebrity Spot in Advertising Age’s 2014 Viral Video Awards for “Kobe vs. Messi: The Selfie Shootout”, at the fifth annual ceremony held on April 1 in New York City.

The Crispin Porter + Bogusky-created commercial spot, originally rolled out in December as a part of Turkish Airlines “Widen Your World” ad campaign, features global brand ambassadors and international sports megastars Kobe Bryant and Lionel Messi.

In the campaign that emphasizes the global network of the airline, Kobe and Messi resume their friendly rivalry from last year’s viral “Kobe vs. Messi” ad by trading “selfies” from exotic Turkish Airlines locations, including the Red Square in Moscow, The Great Wall of China, the Maldives, Bangkok and Mount Kilimanjaro. Throughout the video, the competitive athletes are seen at various airports consulting the airline’s destination boards for their flights. In the ad’s final shot, Messi takes a “selfie” in Sultanahmet Square in Istanbul—only to be photobombed by Kobe.

The ad ultimately seeks to heighten awareness of the many benefits of Turkish Airlines around the world including flying to more countries than any other airline, its award-winning cuisine and unsurpassed service.

With 137.2 million views since its December 2013 debut, “The Selfie Shootout” was recognized for inspiring various online selfie competitions including the #SelfieOlympics, which garnered thousands of participants across multiple social media channels.

The campaign was developed by Crispin Porter + Bogusky and produced by H S I Productions, with music by Beacon Street Studios.

Advertising Age’s Viral Video Awards honor the best brand storytelling through videos. Campaigns are measured across all platforms, including different versions, responses and iterations.