We developed two distinct layers to the TV campaign. The first consisted of episodic spots that ran during the live action of the NBA Playoffs. While the real Kobe and LeBron were on the court, the puppets were providing colour commentary on their performance. All media was strategically placed around NBA games, as well as shoulder programming where the games were being discussed. By staying relevant to real-life playoff action, the puppets quickly immersed themselves into the conversation.The second layer involved a partnership with ESPN/ABC that organically wove the puppets into playoff programming. Working together with ESPN’s team, we were able to treat the puppets as any real sports anchor/athlete. Overall, the puppets appeared in over 50 original segments across various programming platforms. The ESPN partnership allowed Nike to once again bring innovative storytelling to our audience, keeping them on their toes with unexpected experiences.

The puppets became the focal point of the 2009 NBA Playoffs. Consumers were kept off-balance by how quickly these characters reacted to current events.

The puppets led the basketball conversation on the blogosphere. Visible Measures, a third-party source that publishes top-performing campaigns, ranked the MVPs at the top of the viral chart throughout the entirety of the NBA Playoffs. Nike’s sponsored LeBron channel on YouTube increased its subscription base during this time by 500%.

From a business standpoint, Nike Basketball merchandised the puppets as a commercial property that significantly increased basketball sales across footwear, apparel and puppets merchandise.