Foot Locker’s ‘Father’s Day’ campaign is built around the upcoming NBA Draft with young ballers poking fun at their fathers.
It features several college stars about to enter the professional game, such as De’Aaron Fox, Jayson Tatum, Jonathan Isaac, but none are getting quite as much attention as Lonzo Ball.
Ball has been the subject of some intense media scrutiny over the last month, so it is no surprise that his appearance in the ad hogs the headlines.
Particularly as it sees the future star gently poking fun at his famously overbearing father LaVar Ball.
Former UCLA star and All-America Team member Lonzo, who is slated to be one of this year’s top NBA draft picks, is managed by his dad LaVar.
In fact LaVar Ball, a former football player, manages all three of his sporting sons and has become notorious for making controversial comments in the media over the past year.
His sports media supervillain status has seen him badmouth establishing NBA stars such as Steph Curry to LeBron James and he has attempted to contractually obligate any team that drafts him to accept his own brand of Ball sneakers.
The Foot Locker Father’s Day ad gives Lonzo some screen time to gently poke fun at his dad and, by placing him alongside other young hoops prospects whose dads aren’t as infamous as his, the commercial’s juxtapositions and contrasts maximize its effectiveness
The ad, developed by BBDO New York, is scheduled to air on TV during the live NBA Draft on 22 June, but it has been pre-released on the brand’s social and digital channels for Father’s Day and has already generated plenty of attention.
It is running on the footwear retailer’s YouTube channel,
as well as on its Twitter feed,
WATCH top draft prospects @ZO2_ @swipathefox @jaytatum0 and @jisaac_01 reflect on their dads and their journey to draft night. #Approved pic.twitter.com/z2t9cIEfBW
— Foot Locker (@footlocker) June 14, 2017
and Facebook page,
as well as fronting the brand’s home page too http://www.footlocker.com/
“The NBA Draft is a milestone I’ve been working toward for a long time and it’s exciting to celebrate it with a Foot Locker commercial,” said Ball in a campaign press release.
“It’s been a big year for my family, and I know we’re just getting started. My dad and I both love the humor of the spot and I’m glad I got to have a little fun around the topic before going to the league.”
The team working on the Foot Locker ‘Father’s Day’ campaign was led by BBDO worldwide chief creative officer David Lubars and New York CCO Greg Hahn, and also included ECDs Chris Beresford-Hill and Dan Lucey, with ACDs Austin Mankey and Mike Motch, plus executive producer Tara Leinwohl, head of music production Rani Vaz, designer Kimberly Blasnik, account director Janelle Van Wonderen, account managers Laura McWhorter and Sam Henderson, assistant account executive Christian Martinez, project manager Amy Orgel, business manager Matt Friday.
The production company was O Positive, the spot was directed by Kenny Herzog, the executive producers were Ralph Laucella and Marc Grill, head of production was Devon Clark, editorial and finishing were handled by Mack Cut, the editor was Nick Divers, the executive producer Gina Pagano, the producer Sabrina-Please Utley, the assistant editor Kenneth Munoz, flame artists were Jim Haymow and Joseph Miller, music was by JSM and sound by Sound Lounge.
Activative Comment
Slated to be picked high up in the first round of this week’s NBA Draft, this seems like a fairly mature step from a young athlete who has been the focal point of so much media attention and and criciticsm before evening starting his professional career.
Father’s Day is traditional a time for sons to salute dads, to toast their accomplishments and say thank you.
But this campaign is based on a b it of friendly family banter around a father’s human failings.
It certainly seems to have touched a feeling, as it has notched up more than one million YouTube views in its first 24 hours.
Links:
Foot Locker
https://www.youtube.com/user/footlocker
https://twitter.com/footlocker
https://www.facebook.com/footlocker
https://www.instagram.com/footlocker/
BBDO New York
