With the "NBA at 50" celebration tipping off this week, the
NBA is attempting to notify fans that the sport was around before
Michael Jordan, and "will be around long after he retires for
good," according to Jeff Jensen of ADVERTISING AGE. A new Fallon
McElligott Berlin, New York, ad campaign runs in SI, USA Today
and other publications, carrying the tag, "1946 to now. NBA at
50. To be continued..." One ad spot features "past and present
NBA greats" with copy, "The greatest player of all time comes
along once every generation." A second spot features seven
rising NBA stars and reads, "Before Jordan was Jordan, he was the
next Dr. J. Who's next?" The ad has Juwan Howard, Jerry
Stackhouse, Grant Hill, Penny Hardaway, Jason Kidd, Damon
Stoudamire and Gary Payton. The anniversary campaign also
features "I Love This Game" spots with Julius Erving and Magic
Johnson on their "signature moments." SI/TNT also team for a 16-
week advertorial/TV campaign, "One on One," with former and
current NBA stars (AD AGE, 10/28 issue).
PENNEY-WISE: Through a national promo with JCPenney, the NBA
will offer retail distribution of its regular-season schedule.
Effective November 10, the official '96-97 NBA schedule will be
available as a gift with the purchase of an NBA licensed product
in the "Simply for Sports" area of the men's and children's
sections of more than 1,000 JCPenney stores across the country
(NBA).
