2011 NBA All-Star Game Commercial To Feature Sue Bird, Kevin Durant, and Dwight Howard

The latest WNBA promo will be aired during the 2011 NBA All-Star game on Sunday and features Sue Bird, Kevin Durant, and Dwight Howard.

You can see the commercial and more thoughts on it at SBN Seattle at the link above, but the early returns are not positive if you believe Darren Rovell's Twitter feed (see tweets here, here, and here).

We can Expect Great Mockery anytime the NBA mainstream is forced to confront the WNBA, but what do you think about this commercial: both a) the inclusion of NBA players and b) the decision to air it during the All-Star game?

over 1 year ago Nate Parham 9 comments 0 recs |

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Meh

What is with the extreme flipcam-ish quality for Durant and Bird? If I’m not mistaken, it’s mostly the same promo that aired last year, just with the three new lines with the stars. (Actually, that’s not true, they edited in some new shots. Old versions here, for anyone who cares: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGC7wUX—G4 / http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-1P83-YThk&feature=related )

I didn’t like it much last year either. I like the idea, but the execution was just too static. You can come up with better comparison shots than that, with more energy. I mean. “What a pass!” for… a simple perimeter lob? And after watching the old ones, wow, they managed to make the action shots even more boring.

Also, every time this concept comes up, I have to refer back to the original one (which was made by a bunch of interns for fun—let’s take a moment to appreciate how badly the WNBA spends its money) : http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=779259340880&ref=nf

Side-by-side split screen isn’t ideal, but the point is the actual action shots are just plain better footage.

This isn’t gonna reach out to guys tuning into All-Star weekend. ;)

by ChungD on Feb 17, 2011 6:49 PM EST reply actions

Harsh! :)

But I hear you on not reaching out to guys – I’d argue most are predisposed to believing the WNBA is nothing close to the NBA (even if they haven’t seen it). So 30 secs of side-by-side clips aren’t likely to hold much persuasive power it seems….

I still liked the one they did for last year’s playoffs better:

http://www.swishappeal.com/2010/8/10/1616048/the-wnbas-new-promotional-spot

I hear too many men just whining about the commercials to really believe that they’ll be persuaded of its merits in 30 secs… the playoff commercial showcased the game and seemed to leave it up to the viewer to decide. I like that approach…the haters will continue to hate even if Swin Cash schools Scottie Pippen during the All-Star celeb game…

SwishAppeal.com for women's basketball...SB Nation Seattle for Seattle sports. Twitter: @NateP_SBN.

by Nate Parham on Feb 17, 2011 8:39 PM EST up reply actions

Yeah, that one was pretty good

I’ve actually usually liked the playoffs commercials. I think the one in… 2008? 2009? I don’t remember, I just remember Swin was Seattle’s representative, the one with 8 players dribbling, then 4, then 2, blah blah. I mean, it wasn’t exactly showing off the game much. It was a bunch of players dribbling. But I liked it.

Ah, there we go.

2008: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLZnyoAtpDg
2009: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfOECEiZNec

While watching both those commercials again, something else struck me: 2008 and 2009 are for fans of the game. And mostly, 2010 is too, although a little less. These commercials aren’t really designed to bring in new people. They appeal to people who already give a shit. (Because really, who’s gonna recognize Swin Cash in 2008 except her fans? Who even knows that that’s Tamika Catchings crossing her arms and staring at you in 2009 except fans?) 2010 has more action and is likely noob-friendlier, but there’s still a LOT of non-action that would appeal more to a knowledgeable fan, imo.

The NBA’s advertising is great. The playoffs commercials from 2008, with the juxtaposition of Kobe and Shaq? Kidd and Nash? Come on. That’s amazing. The tour series? The muppets from the 2009 Finals? But it only works because people already know who those players are.

The commercials I hate all tend to be geared toward garnering new fans. This is Who I Am and Have You Seen Her were both disasters, imo, and Expect Great was only marginally better. (And frankly, I’ve obliterated from memory the ones for Parker and… Ford? Catchings? Seriously, I’ve forgotten. It took conscious effort. ;) I only remember Bird, Parker, Taurasi, Pondexter, and even those were a stretch…) But the ones I’ve liked… I dunno if they’re the ones that are most effective at getting new fans. After all, I’m not exactly in the best position to judge. ;)

2010 playoffs is probably one of the best to strike that balance.

by ChungD on Feb 17, 2011 11:59 PM EST up reply actions

"The commercials I hate all tend to be geared toward garnering new fans."

I agree with you on this.

And I think what’s particularly difficult is striking a balance and gearing ads to fans on the fence, which would be particularly good during an All-Star game when fans in certain markets might just need a reminder that the league is still running to give it a shot when it starts up again.

I think something that people generally “respect” if nothing else is the fact that the players are mostly playing overseas in their off-season – I wonder if an ad can be built around that concept with a “they’re coming back theme” or something. It might at least create sympathetic interest for what they do and having action shots of them playing around the road and then coming home creates a narrative that people might be at least somewhat interested in…

The other thing is marketing a basketball league without dunks to fans who often enjoy dunks is going to be hard in a 30 sec highlight reel ad…

SwishAppeal.com for women's basketball...SB Nation Seattle for Seattle sports. Twitter: @NateP_SBN.

by Nate Parham on Feb 18, 2011 3:35 AM EST up reply actions

I'm going off topic, but I think there's a lost generation of possible WNBA fans

and that’s for most men who are 18-45 or so right now. They don’t care about the WNBA, they don’t wanna see it, and nothing will change that. Unless they went to UConn, Duke, or some other WBB power and/or know one or more of the players personally, nothing is gonna get these men interested in the WNBA, though a possible NBA lockout could get some open minded NBA fans look a bit more at the WNBA, if there’s both an NBA and WNBA team in the same city.

If the WNBA wants more men especially to watch the WNBA, perhaps the individual teams could host camps for boys and girls and have the WNBA players coach up the boys on those teams. Highlight a local HS boys bball team a week, do more community activities geared toward young boys, and that could raise up a new generation of men who will appreciate the WNBA, and I don’t think that’s gonna take anything from the NBA at all.

Besides these WNBA promo commercials are probably there only because David Stern mandates that they are there, and the league is his brainchild. Also with ESPN’s NBA contract, I believe that they are also required to play WNBA games as well, though I also heard that the league has made a deal on its own too. Either way, the NBA is gonna promote the WNBA as long as the league is part of the family.

by thewiz06 on Feb 17, 2011 11:12 PM EST reply actions