Kobe or LeBron: The NBA’s Greatest Marketing Frenzy

The NBA is a national and world renowned brand name. Basketball games are watched all around the world. It is not the sport for just North Americans with the recent emergence of great talent pool of players in Europe such as Dirk Nowitzki, Pau Gasol and Andrei Kirilenko. The NBA is stretching its wings all around the world to reach the most number of people as possible and generate the most amount of revenue as possible. Throughout, their storied and great history the NBA has always had a player that they knew represented their values and core beliefs the best. They allowed this person to soak up the limelight, constantly broadcasted his games on TV, so as many people as possible could tune in easily and watch that individual in essence deliver a human highlight reel. All this NBA marketing frenzy was to generate more revenue and capture a larger demographic of viewers. For decades, this imaginary torch has been passed down from Wilt Chamberlain to Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. These players have constantly delivered eye popping performances, were the best players in the league when they played and were looked up to by their peers and the community.

After the retirement of Michael Jordan hands down the great player to ever pick up and play the sport of basketball the NBA went through a dry spell of finding that one player who embodied everything they stood for and delivered show at the same time. The NBA has found these players who represent their league to the fullest. The NBA has been so lucky as to be blessed with not just one but two, LeBron James and Kobe Bryant making it the greatest marketing frenzy in NBA history. Both Kobe Bryant and LeBron James voted even amongst their peers are the hardest working and determined NBA players in the league. They have an excellent work ethic and humility to them that makes them great role models.

The NBA has put this great marketing frenzy to full effect in the recent past using major sponsors like Nike and Vitamin Water to help along the way. Not only was Nike responsible for providing apparel for both these athletes but now they are using them in commercials publicizing both the NBA and their own brand simultaneously. Nike has exploited this NBA marketing frenzy and taken it one step further by creating commercials called M V Puppets. These are set of commercials with two puppets one is Kobe and the other is LeBron. The setting for these commercials is they are both roommates living together and always trying to one up each other to make the claim of being the best.

This marketing frenzy by the NBA has been a blessing in disguise and they have definitely embraced it. They schedule the meetings between the two teams at the best possible moment to generate the largest potential audience and fan base. For example, this season they met on Christmas day which was perfect because everyone is home on Christmas and after lunch what would be better than to turn on the TV and watch two of the best in their sport go against each other. By having this great gift of two athletes so committed to solidify their legacies it creates for great TV and is this battle continues on the way it has been going NBA fans are in for a treat and the extra media frenzy created by the NBA is just like adding fuel to the fire.