Normally, an NBA MVP and star sneaker pitchman going down with a massive knee injury would be a brand’s marketing nightmare. But Adidas and Derrick Rose have managed to turn that scenario on its head.
How? The magic of YouTube and social media.
A series of short web videos called “The Return of D. Rose” have chronicled his road to coming back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in the first game of last season’s NBA playoffs. Rose was voted the NBA’s most valuable player in 2011 and has his own signature line of shoes as Adidas’ biggest basketball name.
Episode three of “The Return” hit the web this week and, like its predecessors, offered a mix of candid interviews, grinding rehab footage and dramatic music. The stylish, well-produced video racked up about 200,000 views in its first two days online and was widely shared by basketball fans on Twitter. Each new installment has inspired a wave of support from fans and posts such as this one:
#TheReturn is inspiring knowing something like a career threatening injury cant stop someone. @drose
— ⇦Anthony ツ♪♬♬ (@Baster_mated) September 20, 2012
It’s a pretty smart digital marketing play by Adidas. Instead of Rose temporarily vanishing from the public eye aside from bland injury updates and PR appearances, he remains very much in fans’ minds as a player and reinforces his humble and likable reputation. YouTube‘s platform for short videos, meanwhile, lets Adidas tell his story in brief installments and maintain buzz. A related clip, of Rose breaking down in tears after watching a trailer for “The Return” at the launch of his new sneaker, has gone viral among sports fans as well and further boosted his solid image.
The first episode of “The Return” is embedded above; you can check out the second episode here and the third episode here. And for an entertaining spin on the series, be sure not to miss this epic mashup of “The Return” with a trailer for “The Dark Knight Rises.”
Do you think “The Return” is a strong example of digital sports marketing, or does it fall flat? Give us your take in the comments.
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