I've always maintained that one of the main reasons why Nike is so much more successful than any of their counterparts in the athletic shoe/apparel industry(besides a superior products line, higher profile celebrity endorsers, an autocratic founder and cheap Asian child labor) is because they have fantastic advertising people.
Seriously, think back and recall your top 3 favorite Nike commercials of all time. I could probably give you my top ten without taking too much time. There this one...and this one and this one. (Note: These aren't my top 3 but they definitely make the Top 10).
Now try and think of your top 3 favorite commercials by all the other athletic shoe/apparel companies combined....not much comes to mind, does it? As a way to further this idea, just think what the good folks at Nike could've done with an original, iconic person/personality like Allen Iverson had he signed on with them instead of Reebok. His shoes were clunky, his commercials were pedestrian and they never even created a longstanding logo for the guy. For Christ's sake, Iverson became a cultural icon almost in spite of Reebok. So, what's the point of all this? Essentially, there is none. Nike has the best advertising people around. They can make you care about people (and products) you normally wouldn't care about through the sheer originality and brilliance of their ads (even if only for a minute or two). Don't believe me? Well, watch this new Nike ad for Paul Rodriguez's new shoe.
Now, I like skateboarding and enjoy skate videos. TJ, on the other hand, probably doesn't know who Paul Rodriguez or Eric Koston is (Koston's the skater in the plaid shirt) and damn sure doesn't give a damn about skateboarding. But, I bet you he watched that whole video, and enjoyed it too. I'm betting you did as well.
Carry on.
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
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26 comments:
Paul Rodriguez is a washed up Hispanic comedian who, along with the rest of the world, hates Carlos Mencia.
And that skater in the video is his kid...
those are pretty cool kicks. shame i'd look like a complete poseur wearing them.
mark, did you ever see the other skate video we posted here? it was/is silly.
I don't recall seeing another skate vid 'round here. As for the shoes, you could probably get away with them since they are Nikes and very few people would realize they're skate shoes.
here's the other one - for lakai, directed by spike jonze. and a whole bunch of awesome.
http://gheorghe77.blogspot.com/2008/04/not-your-average-jimmy.html
Everyone is cool enough to wear cool sneakers. Ditch the grey New Balance trail runners. Get something distinctive.
The video is no longer on YouTube, so Rob will have to describe it in flowery detail.
dagger. slo-mo skating, explosions, lather, rinse, repeat.
Now that Rob has described it, I do remember that Lakai video. It was pretty sweet if memory serves.
Somebody make a note - we're going to the Sports Memorabilia Convention in Baltimore next year. And I need somebody responsible to hold my wallet.
And there's a big payoff for Teejay if he makes it to page 20 of Sports Guy's article.
Not a chance...
Like you've got something better to do than look at a bunch of pictures.
Yeah, I was there five seconds after I typed that comment...
Count me in for the convention. It looks/sounds positively amazing.
And, I'm not sure I trust somebody to hold my wallet. I might try and fight somebody in order to get it back.
The "My Name is My Name" comment made going thru that photo gallery completely worth it.
Who wouldn't want a check written by George Brett?
The ghost of Billy Martin?
that. was. awesome. is there any chance teejay wouldn't buy the o.j. card on the last page. i would waste lots and lots of money on posters and old t-shirts. count me in for next year.
Count me in as well. That was the most interesting half hour of my day. If someone could get me Joe Jacoby's tee shirt from his 1983 ThetreVision ad...well, that guy would probably be at the convention next year.
Holy crap...of course its on youtube. Please treat yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlvPBo_HalI
Mark, please tell me Lou Holtz is running for Congress in your Florida district?
That could also double as a really obscure Halloween costume.
Holtz lives in Orlando, so I doubt it. Berto lives in Orlando though.
As for the convention, I'd spend (waste?) a ton of money on jerseys (Fly Williams' St. Louis Spirits jersey WILL be mine), t-shirts, pennants and all other types of assorted shit. How is it that none of us never knew this convention existed?
Wieden+Kennedy. Nike's LONG time ad agency. They are brill. When I was in HS & college I totally wanted to work for them. Then I realized that I had no creative talents whatsoever.
I have had a Nike print ad on my office wall for about 10 years--it's about their now defunct PLAYCORPS program and the importance of youth sports coaches. Copy: "He's not your father. And he's not your brother. That's what's great about a coach. You can tell him things that you wouldn't tell your father. And he'll give you advice that's probably more responsible than your brother's. Kids need coaches. They need them now. Nike PLAYCORPS. Get involved." The image is a joe average coach talking to one of his peewee football players.
It speaks to me.
Whit, Nats have now won four in a row...prank bet update coming tomorrow.
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