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    December 03, 2008

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    jeremy beyda

    wow. nice synopsis. i just thought it was a cool commercial. Now, it has a lot more meaning. Very impressed with Nike and with your breakdown.

    m miraflor

    even more layers:

    girl featured at about 0:40 is 12-year old Jamie Nared, who received national attention for being kicked off her school's boys basketball team for being TOO GOOD.

    she's basically the female lebron in the making. already getting college scholarship offers, and i wouldn't be surprised if nike locked her up (if that's even legal at that age).

    http://is.gd/a6wW

    i KNEW she looked familiar, but it took another 20 or so views of the video for her face to finally register in my head.

    another reason why this spot is A+.

    michael miraflor

    okay - also just noticed that at 0:41 - 0:42, she jukes a boy. in fact, she's playing against a boys team.

    i so didn't catch that.

    details, details.

    David Tokheim

    Thanks Ian, both for your comments and posting the video I have now watched again and again.

    Their ability to consistently put themselves right in the shoes (sorry couldn't resist) of their different target markets is amazing.

    The way they highlight different people basketball star/fan, teacher/student, performer/audience photographer, athlete, baker, kid, woman through the chalk motif (looking up, spread around, hope, etc) gives me goosebumps.

    I also love that they can put it out via Social media to "give people something to talk about!"

    David


    Ian Schafer

    Great catch!

    Ian Schafer

    Agreed. And I should also give big ups to W+K for creating the spot.

    Craig Daitch

    Regarding Jamie Nared -

    I sent a good friend/former athletic shoe client of mine who now works for the NBA Jamie's story when it was first reported.

    I'm glad W+K recognized her through the Lebron campaign.

    One question - does her involvement in the commercial impact her college eligibility?

    Kevin

    Side note - didn't Lebron steal the chalk toss at the announcer's booth from Kevin Garnett?

    Matt

    I believe it was MJ who started the chalk ritual in the first place (altho I'll blaspheme and assume he didn't invent it either).

    Cory O'Brien

    Great analysis, and though I knew this was a special commercial, I still missed out on a few of the finer details, so thanks for pointing them out.

    For me, I love when a commercial is much more complex than it first appears. The complexity increases the repeat watching potential, because you want to find all of the little hidden details, and it also increases the likelihood that you'll pass it along, because you want to show friends that you found details hidden in a commercial that they've probably already seen and moved on from. Gives you a bit of cred if you notice these things, and Nike definitely shows that they understand their consumers more than anyone else with a spot that challenges them like this one does.

    SyKraft

    I'm always surprised that no one remembers Jordan's pre-game chalk ritual (thanks Matt). Aside, check out the new adidas House Party spots with all their sponsored celebs and athletes featured. The KG reference above reminded me of it. Beckham, Jeezy...even the classic Llie Nastase. Good stuff.

    http://www.youtube.co/watch?v=TT3Jj9OGMA0

    Sid Lee in Montreal and Amsterdam just won the global adidas Style business, while Iris UK/NY is taking much of the Performance work away from 180 Amsterdam. Nice.

    Aside, yes brand guidelines call for adidas to never be capitalized.

    Kiss My Black Ads

    I blogged about this a few days ago to very mixed reviews in the African American creative community. I really dig it. I thought it was spot on. I too have to give repeated props to W+K for having their ear so close to the ground in spot after spot. They dig so deep into our proverbial crates of culture and the nuances of African American life it boggles the mind. But when I really think about it, it's not that uncommon of a practice. (This is not a criticism but an observation) I've been seeing this behavior for years. Very accurate, almost anthropological study and regurgitation of Black attitudes, demeanor and culture. I mean in real life not in ads (like they white guy who lived on my street growing up. I watched him transform himself to match the dominate culture in my neighborhood). Hell, often times in ads Black agencies get it horribly wrong.Well done!!!

    Guillaume

    Thanks for all the explanations, as a European I lacked the cultural codes. Good commercial with a lot more meaning than the images would let think.

    watch american dad

    I needed this info thanks mate

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