April 2012, the unthinkable happened: Derrick Rose, NBA-point-guard for The Chicago Bulls, suffered a season ending ACL-knee tear, only two months after signing a $250 million extension with adidas for his own signature brand! The unthinkable meant an end to business, marketing and communication plans already in motion for an October launch.

Rose commands the earning power of a Ronaldo, and despite prominently wearing #1 on his team shirt, he does it with the humility of a Messi. He personifies adidas’ values; therefore fans, even non-fans, truly love him and adidas. We knew the injury meant irrelevancy though, and that was not fitting for someone so loved during an era when player and fans are interconnected like never before through media.

This unprecedented insight of maintaining relevancy for the injured through a system of two-way media connections helped shape the Idea of “All for #1 for All.”

Sales:

• Despite a $60 price increase and Rose unavailable on court, sales objectives were successfully met, including double digit sell-through: An industry goal

Twitter

• #TheReturn trended 3x without Bought media

• #TheReturn was mentioned/supported Rose 300,000+ times outpacing all other sports brands during the same period

• @adidasbaskebtall grew by 100%

YouTube

• 9 Million and counting viewed 18 mins of content

Facebook:

• adidas basketball ‘chat’ grew by 200%

Search

• Search volume was on par with the sports category for the same period despite Rose’s absence on court, unlike competing athletes.

• 400% increase in volume

“All for #1 for All” came to life via an integrated, sustaining architecture of Owned, Earned & Bought media. At its core, we launched a 6-part, YouTube series called “The Return,” which told the real time story of #1’s personal recovery moments. #TheReturn, digitally chronicled the reciprocal, real-time support “All” would send Rose after each episode: “All for #1”.

Even while injured, Rose’s new brand would personify his return at retail: “#1 for All”. Targeted TV, endemic print, mobile, digital take-over’s, social products, search and outdoor, would inspire fans to continue connecting with and supporting Rose via #TheReturn.

#TheReturn catapulted relevancy and on-going connections for Rose and adidas despite a season-ending injury. Starting with his June surgery, pausing during key summer moments (e.g., 2012 Summer Olympics), and finally through the start of a new NBA’s season, fans and Rose “became 1” through an integrated media system of updates and support.