This NBA Mother’s Day ad borrows from Oklahoma City Thunder star Kevin Durant’s now-famous speech after being awarded the NBA’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) award. Durant, who deservedly took home the MVP award for his stellar season, declared in a heartwarming and emotionally charged speech that his mother Wanda Pratt was "the real MVP."
The ad, which is entirely black-and-white, begins with Pratt standing in attendance at an Oklahoma City Thunder game and raising her hand—ostensibly in anticipation of a play by Durant. She then pumps her fist and exults, while the scene on the basketball court itself is left to the imagination of the viewer.
The scene is accompanied by an audio clip from Durant’s MVP speech, in which he says, “[T]he only one that really believed in me, that I could do it—from day one—was my mom.”
The NBA Mother’s Day ad then concludes with a short clip of Durant gazing upwards.
Why This Trend Is Growing
- Emotional Advertising
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- Celebrity Endorsements
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- Event-driven Marketing
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Industries Being Reshaped
- Sports
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: The sports industry can explore new ways to promote athletes and their stories to engage with fans and consumers.
- Entertainment
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: The entertainment industry can leverage emotional narratives to create captivating advertisements and promotions.
- Retail
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: The retail industry can use event-driven marketing to drive sales and create unique customer experiences around holidays and special occasions.
