By Meg Mannion
Nike started off the month of May with 3 rings and a bit of chalk!
The kickoff to the Nike Most Valuable Puppets Campaign started a viral phenomenon targeted at potential Nike brand loyalists. If you are unfamiliar with NBA basketball or don’t watch or own a tv (like Brian), then you are exactly who Nike was trying to avoid. This campaign was for avid sports fans, not even specific team or league fans, but fans that know the big names in the game and understand that the NBA Finals are a special time of year for the sport of basketball.
Nike hit the airwaves throughout the eight-team NBA Conference Semi Finals with a duo of commercials, which positioned puppet characters acting out Cleveland Cavaliers superstar LeBron “King” James as a Penthouse roommate to none other than L.A.’s “Black Mamba”, Kobe Bryant. The puppets and voices were close to the real thing, but Nike definitely avoided some hefty fees and scheduling conflicts by shooting without “the real” LeBron and Kobe.
The MVPuppet Campaign continued through the Conference Semi Finals into the Conference Finals with four new commercials. So far, Nike had invested in six unique commercials that constantly pitted James and Bryant against each other heading into the Finals. At this point though, there are several advertising issues starting to bounce around in my head: First of all, of the six commercials that are now running on almost a nightly basis throughout the Semi Finals, only two of these commercials even mention a Nike product (which happened to be shoes and more shoes!). My second thought: was Nike playing campaign roulette? How did they know that LeBron and Kobe would go head to head in the Finals? How would they salvage this campaign that had created such a stir at Gatorade coolers across the nation, if LA or Cleveland didn’t make the cut?
A few things were clear at this point in the game regardless of my perspective. Nike had committed to the campaign no matter what the Finals match-up, the campaign was not based on product driven marketing and they were definitely rockin’ it old skool with the basic frequency and reach tactics. With this solid foundation and stellar commitment, Nike headed into the NBA Finals with only one of their superstars on the court, Kobe Bryant (after the Cavs lost to the Orlando Magic). Their dueling roommate campaign didn’t come to Finals fruition, but with an arsenal of six new commercials released during the five-game series Nike was on a winning streak.
At this point in the Finals, a cult following had been built and fans across the land were discussing the MVPuppets. LeBron may not have made it to the big show, but he would have solo appearances in three of the six new commercials during the Finals. Nike definitely kicked it into high gear at the point when everyone, including me, thought they would scrap it or wrap it.
Now that Kobe was flying solo in the Finals it was time for Nike to pull on the heartstrings of disappointed Cleveland and LeBron fans everywhere. Quirky kid Dez (aka the Most Valuable Neighbor) reenteres the picture begging LeBron to watch Kobe in the Finals and then serenades the two-some with a roommate rap song. The campaign came to a close with LeBron preparing for a comeback in 2010 and then finally signing off by wishing Kobe a tear jerking “good luck buddy” in the last game of the Finals.
If you would like a list of links to the entire MVPuppets Campaign just shoot me an email!
Meg Mannion is a designer and marketer who looks at the ways marketing impacts virtually every aspect of modern life. She discusses the business metaphor of sports in marketing, high-tech marketing, and effective communication through packaging and design.
