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Sports Biz
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If you're living under a rock and you didn't realize it, Nike [NKE
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] has been taking a page out of those classic "Did he really do that?" Powerade spots and has created quite a stir with Kobe Bryant.
After stopping a BBQ this weekend to watch it again--thanks Amanda Schlosser!--I'm calling these spots the most successful sports ad campaign going right now. How do I know? Just look at YouTube. There's millions of hits on the Kobe jumps.
First, let's give you a blast from the past with the Powerade spots. You might recall the spots.
Andy Roddick pounding a ball into the court.
And LeBron James draining full court jumpers.
Well, Nike's current spots--advertising Nike's new Hyperdunk--are getting even more buzz. First, Nike showed Kobe jumping over an Aston Martin (this actually aired on television)
Then, they did a viral spot where Kobe is joined by the Jackass guys as he jumps over a pool of snakes.
I can't tell you how many people have asked if either of these are real. Here's Kobe's response when asked by local television reporter John Ireland about the snakes:
John: “And the dunk was real. You actually jumped over the pool.”
Kobe: “I did jump over the pool. I had a little assistance, maybe.”
John: “With Hollywood?”
Kobe: “From the Hyperdunks.”
Does the buzz around the ads mean more sales for the Hyperdunks (they only mention the name and show the shoes once in each spot)? I can't guarantee it. What I can guarantee is that it has passed the first rule of advertising--that people actually realize who is endorsing what.
Data is a real-time snapshot *Data is delayed at least 15 minutes