Foot Locker readies for NBA Draft with tongue-in-cheek guilt trip celebrating sneaker culture
Sneakerheads will go to extremes to get the kicks they covet, and a new spot by Foot Locker shows how one fan dupes three sneaker-celebrities into sending him new Nike Air Max shoes.
PJ Tucker for Foot Locker
Just in time for the NBA Draft, Foot Locker has released ‘The Letter,’ a TV and digital spot that finds three sneakerhead celebrities getting what they think is a heartfelt fan letter. In the ad, Houston Rockets forward, PJ Tucker, singer and model Pia Mia and actor JD McCrary star alongside a plethora of Nike Air Max silhouettes, ranging from the Air Max 95 to Air Max Plus as they fulfill what they believe to be a downtrodden super-fan’s dreams.
The letter they all are reading aloud states that the writer is a huge fan who has recently broken his leg, and he only has one request: to meet them in person. But if that can’t happen, he will settle for a pair of Air Max.
Cut to the kid at home, standing in his room surrounded by shoe boxes, muttering, “I can’t believe this is still working.”
The campaign launches online, followed by the TV spot airing on ESPN during the live broadcast of the NBA Draft.
“Everything we do at Foot Locker we do ‘Because Sneakers’, and we know our customer’s every impulse and motivation revolves around their love of sneaker culture,” said Patrick Walsh, vice president of marketing, Foot Locker North America. “Because Sneakers represents a shared belief and comes to life in this spot as we see a young sneakerhead go to extreme lengths to convince real-life stars to aid in his quest to secure coveted sneakers.”
Added Tucker: “Anyone who knows me, knows that sneakers are in my DNA, so of course I’m excited to be working with Foot Locker as part of their ‘Discover Your Air’ campaign. Whether you’re on or off the court, you always need to bring your A-game when it comes to style, and I know all too well what it’s like to chase those elusive kicks.”
The campaign was created BBDO. Vote for the campaign by clicking on the Creative Works box below.
