The NBA is rolling out two new commercials to promote this year’s five Christmas Day television broadcasts and the related retail efforts.
In addition to running on the league’s TV partners (Turner, ESPN and ABC), the new 30-second spots will run on a variety other networks — including CNN, VH1, BET and Comedy Central — as part of a more aggressive marketing strategy under new NBA Chief Marketing Officer Pamela El.
“Christmas Day is the most watched day of the regular season, and we wanted to do something big and aggressive, and something that can stand out,” said El, who joined the league this summer. “One of our objectives is to get casual fans to tune in and watch the games.”
The spots will also run on
league-run digital outlets, such as NBA.com, and on outside digital platforms, including USAToday.com and SBNation.com. There will be no print buy for the Christmas Day campaign.
“We are buying networks that are outside of traditional sports media,” El said.
Both spots were produced by DDB New York, as the NBA transitions from agency of record Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to Translation beginning in January. Goodby had been the league’s agency of record since 2007.
The creative theme of both ads is “Gifts,” as the league pushes the message that there is no
 |
The creative theme for both ads is “Gifts,” which fans might find under the tree but won’t see on the court Christmas Day.
|
gift-giving on the court despite the holiday season.
The NBA’s Christmas Day schedule is Washington vs. New York on ESPN, San Antonio vs. Oklahoma City on ABC, Cleveland vs. Miami on ABC, the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Chicago on TNT, and the Los Angeles Clippers vs. Golden State on TNT.
The retail-focused spot, which was slated to begin running this past weekend, shows the specially designed Christmas Day jerseys that will be worn by star players on teams playing Dec. 25 this year.
Those jerseys will feature the players’ first names on the back instead of their last names — so Kobe (Bryant), LeBron (James) and Derrick (Rose).
The tune-in spot, which is scheduled to debut on Friday, will feature Cleveland’s Kyrie Irving, Chicago’s Pau Gasol, Golden State’s Stephen Curry, Miami’s Dwyane Wade and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Chris Paul.
