The NBA celebrates 75 years with this funny commercial starring Michael B. Jordan
The NBA commercial celebrates 75 years with a fun story starring Michael B. Jordan and the stars of the NBA.
If there is one thing Americans know how to do, it is to take care of their product. For a reason they are the kings of marketing and advertising. If they sell themselves, they do it like nobody else. And even more so if they are part of the “Show Business” and are known to be important to society.
It’s the example of the latest NBA commercial, celebrating its 75-year history with a fun ad campaign starring Michael B. Jordan and some of the NBA’s brightest stars.
“NBA Lane” is the title of the NBA commercial to commemorate its 75th anniversary. They had little to think about 1949 when the National Basketball League and the Basketball Association of America merged that would become one of the most popular entertainment in the world.
The NBA advertising campaign has been created by the Translation agency and is set in a fictional neighborhood. This is where all the NBA stars and legends who have written the history of basketball live.
The driver of the ad (in a real and figurative sense) is Michael B. Jordan who, on board the hoop bus, takes us for a walk around the neighborhood. Thus, over three minutes we come across different figures in everyday settings. Since Magic Johnson and Larry Bird become friendly neighbors; LeBron James tending his garden; Kareem Abdul-Jabbar teaching Dirk Nowitzki and Zion Williamson breaking a board on the fairway court.
NBA Lane – Behind the scenes
The NBA ad is packed with “Easter eggs” with multiple references, including the appearance of Lil Penny, the puppet who starred in a Wieden + Kennedy campaign for Nike in the mid-1990s.
The NBA has also shared a “Making of” that details how “NBA Lane” was made and features interviews with the leading players. According to Kate Jhaveri, NBA CMO: “It took a lot of coordination to bring together so many players, current and former, to tell the story of our league, and we are grateful to all those who have helped make this possible.”
