Such was the esteem Kobe Bryant was held globally, China is the latest Nike territory to unveil a tribute to the basketball legend.
Bryant, 44, was tragically killed in a helicopter crash in Los Angeles in January, alongside his 13-year-old daughter, Gianna, and seven other passengers.
Called “Dear Kobe”, Nike China’s spot is the work of creative agency Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai and director Francois Rousselet and the Mathematic animation team in Paris.
Set to a piano score, the spot juxtaposes young fans and athletes inspired by the legend with animated montages of his famous gameplay.
Check out the work below:
Commenting on the work, Mathematic executive producer Guillaume Marien said: “When we started this project, we knew we needed to be very considerate when defining the animation style and effects. The spot is a poignant reminder of the life of Kobe Bryant, and we knew it would be viewed by millions of fans around the world.
“Mathematic designed the animation with ink splotches that transform into characters, props, and environments, in order to reflect and symbolize memories and Chinese tradition.
“Designers rotoscoped line animation over live-action footage, tracing Bryant’s face and background environments to give the spot a hand-crafted flair and fresh aesthetic.
“To express greater depth and emotion in the line animation, the Mathematic team added shadows and details that mirrored the original footage and further captured Bryant’s resemblance.”
