A Brief Dissection of the Nike/LeBron 'Chalk' TV Spot.

By popular demand, I've decided to post an analysis of Nike's LeBron James 'Chalk' TV Spot (tip o' the hat to Michael Miraflor for pitching in).

In case you missed the spot, which was in heavy rotation through Thanksgiving weekend, here it is:

So what does it all mean?

LeBron james has a pre-game ritual of reaching into the chalk/talc basket near the scorer's table, rubbing it on his hands, then throwing it into the air. It's electrifying, and the crowd usually goes wild. It looks like this:

The track in the spot is 'Candyman' from Cornershop (they also scored a charting hit in 1997 with 'Brimful of Asha') which I believe may have gotten a little remix from Lil' Wayne. And that track is several years old, but a hip-hop masterpiece.

The song title, 'Candyman' is usually used to reference drug pushers.

Lil' Wayne made his first few bucks by selling cocaine.

Lil' Wayne is in the stands in the spot.

Lil' Wayne also brushes the chalk off his feet - possibly an allusion to his rise from the streets to fame -- and giving up on cocaine.

The chalk is also featured in a donut/coffee shop and a barber shop. The former representing the blue-collar everyman, and the latter is one of the primary meeting places in urban culture. It's where all the issues of the day are discussed.

This spot is phenomenal because it does the following:

1) It shows that Nike gets LeBron.

2) It shows that Nike gets basketball.

3) It shows that Nike gets the intersection of basketball, hip hop, and street culture.

4) It shows that Nike gets music.

5) And if you're savvy enough to understand all the finer points of the spot, Nike understands you.

Sheer brilliance. Yes. TV spots can still be great at telling stories -- but the web is a great place for continuing their discussion.

**UPDATE**

Another reason this spot is great? Director, Mark Romanek, director of some of the best music videos of our time (I highly recommend his DVD).

Here are the credits for the spot:

Client: Nike
Title: The Chalk
Agency: Wieden+Kennedy, Portland
Creative Directors: Alberto Ponte, Tyler Whisnand, Jeff Williams
Copywriter: Caleb Jensen
Art Director: Taylor Twist
Executive Creative Directors: Mark Fitzloff, Susan Hoffman
Agency Producer: Erika Madison
Production Company: Anonymous Content, Los Angeles
Director: Mark Romanek
Executive Producer: Dave Morrison
Producer: Aris McGarry
Head of Production: Sue Ellen Clair
Director of Photography: Adam Kimmel
Editor: Robert Duffy
Post-Production: Spot Welders
Post Producer: Carolina Wallace
Assistant Editor: Patrick Murphree
Audio Post-Production: Lime
Mixer: Loren Silber
Colorist: Siggy Ferstl @ Riot
Effects: Digital Domain
VFX Supervisors: Brad Parker, Vernon Wilbert
VFX EP: Karen Anderson
VFX Producer: Melanie LaRue
Senior Flame Artists: Chris De Cristo, Andrew Eksner, Jonny Hicks, Pilon Lectez
Talent: LeBron James, Anderson Varejao, JJ Hickson, Daniel Gibson, Greg Oden, Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Lil Wayne, Jamie Nared
Music: “Candyman” by Cornershop

Comments

[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