MEDIABISTRO’s Bob Marshall reported adidas is “turning to the folks at Stardust to create animated shorts" featuring Magic C Dwight Howard and Bulls G Derrick Rose. The two new spots feature Howard and Rose “immersed in a mix of cell animation and live-action footage.” The spots are directed by Stardust’s Jake Banks and are “inspired by techniques used on A-Ha’s breakthrough music video” for “Take on Me” (
MEDIABISTRO.com, 2/14).
DON'T GIMME SHELTER: AD AGE's Nat Ives noted Lakers G Kobe Bryant last fall appeared in a "violent commercial" for Activision's "Call of Duty: Black Ops" video game, but NBA Commissioner David Stern indicated that the ad posed for the league a "chance not to interfere." Stern, speaking at the Association of National Advertisers' TV & Everything Video Forum, said, "There's a lot we do that can be viewed as intrusive to protect our brand. I mean, that's the deal. But we look for places not to be intrusive. This was one where we saw it on the fringes and we didn't reach out and grab it" (ADAGE.com, 2/16).
YOU CAN GO LOWER: MEDIAPOST’s Tanya Irwin noted Basketball HOFer Karem Abdul-Jabbar made a “cameo appearance in a Priceline TV spot" that debuted Monday. William Shatner, Priceline's celebrity spokesperson, stars in the spots along with actress Naomi Pryce "as his sidekick.” Priceline spokesperson Brian Ek said the spot is a spoof on Shatner and Pryce "using different disguises as part of their negotiations." Ek: "Having little Naomi disguise herself as Kareem, we thought was pretty funny." The ad was created by Butler, Shine, Stern & Partners, California (MARKETING DAILY, 2/16 issue ).
SWISS MISTER: IMG Senior VP Tony Godsick, who has represented tennis player Roger Federer since ’05, indicated that he "always underlines" Federer’s Swiss nationality, which Godsick "believes is priceless when it comes to selling his image abroad.” Godsick: “Roger is a global icon and we see to it that his brand develops internationally. What makes him so attractive for all the big companies is the fact that he is Swiss. Switzerland is a small country with which one associates loyalty, luxury, precision and perfection. Now, whether he’s in France, Asia, the United States or elsewhere, he’s welcomed as though he were at home” (SWISSINFO.ch, 2/14).
TOO EARLY FOR A WISH LIST? JS International has signed a license agreement with golfer Colin Montgomerie to create a range of golfing gifts and accessories that will be launched throughout Europe, with it initially coming out in the U.K. in time for Christmas. IMG Licensing, which brokered the deal, also is looking to extend Montgomerie’s brand into other licensing categories such as food, beverage and apparel (IMG).
NOTES: In San Antonio, Tim Griffin reported Spurs G Manu Ginobili “filmed a commercial for Gillette in Spanish targeted to consumers back in his home country of Argentina.” The spot is titled “The Manu Ginobili Manifesto” (MYSANANTONIO.com, 2/14)….Mutual of Omaha named swimmers Dagny Knutson, Ryan Lochte, Josh Schneider, Eric Shanteau, Dana Vollmer and Dave Walters to its Gold Medal Team (Mutual of Omaha).
