Sportswear giant Nike is commemorating what would’ve been Kobe Bryant’s 42nd birthday this week with a new campaign called “Mamba Forever”; Mamba, of course, being Bryant’s sporting alias.
Bryant and his daughter, 13-year-old Gianna, were tragically killed alongside seven others in a helicopter crash in January this year.
The new ad is by Nike’s incumbent creative agency Weiden+Kennedy and is narrated by rapper and songwriter Kendrick Lamar and features the usual raft of Nike-sponsored athletes and inspiring footage and messaging.
To honour Bryant’s work pioneering women’s sports, the work also features WNBA stars such as Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi. Also featured is Connecticut women’s coach Geno Auriemma, the team his daughter, Gianna, dreamed of one day playing for.
Check out the powerful spot below:
https://youtu.be/C9I-W1eTCbk
The campaign also kicks off Nike’s “Mamba week”, a week of programming and product offerings and honouring Bryant’s legacy to sport.
The Nike Foundation is also donating $US1 million to the Mamba and Mambacita Sports Foundation, which is dedicated to kids in underprivileged communities who face financial barriers to compete in sports with a focus on young girls.
