Kobe Bryant has always been fascinated with storytelling and the impact stories can have on the world. Now, as the Chief Executive Officer of Kobe, Inc., he can focus his time on that part of his second career, beginning with his latest project as the Creative Director for sports drink BODYARMOR, where he is the third-largest shareholder.
The brand’s first multi-million dollar national advertising and digital campaign kicks off Wednesday night during the NBA Playoffs on TNT. Dubbed “Obsession is Natural,” the creative slogan centers around what it takes for athletes to be the most elite at their craft.
“There’s only one thing that separates the bad from the good, the good from the great, the greats from the legends. Just one thing: obsession,” Bryant says at the beginning of the 60-second advertisement.
For the five-time NBA champion and former Los Angeles Lakers star, that obsessive nature and the determination to be the best was a quality he shared with close friend and BODYARMOR Chief Executive Officer Mike Repole.
Bryant explained to SportTechie how after the final night of his NBA career last April where he dropped 60 points, he signed one of the BODYARMOR towels he wore during the game and gave it to Repole, effectively jump starting the process for the brand’s first national creative initiative.
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“Athletes sign autographs all the time and write a short message, ‘Best Wishes’, or something like that. I was thinking about it. We’re both obsessive, and we joke about it all of the time, how it’s a great thing and a bad thing all at once. That’s our natural behavior. On the towel, I just wrote, ‘To Mike, Obsession is natural.’ Right after I wrote it, I stepped back and looked at it. All of a sudden I was like, ‘Whoa, that’s it. That’s us.’ That’s literally how I wrote the line,” Bryant said.
Bryant eventually got to work with long-time friend and former Nike brand copywriter, Brian Ford. The two collaborated on extending the campaign slogan line by line, shot by shot and how the overall text fit into the creative advertisement that highlighted BODYARMOR athletes training in their respective elements.
Additionally, instead of licensing a piece of music for the advertisement spots, Bryant knew it was important for BODYARMOR to have its own music as well. Bryant sought after well-known composer Kris Bowers, who he worked with on his 2015 SHOWTIME documentary film titled, Muse.
“I thought it was very important for the brand to have an anthem…that’s a BODYARMOR ‘Obsession is natural’ track,” Bryant said.
According to Michael Fedele, Vice President of Marketing at BODYARMOR, it also partnered with music streaming company TIDAL, so consumers can access each athlete’s motivational workout soundtrack on the brand’s overhauled website while each athlete will have a personal 60-second geared around their workout and training regiment, too. Full site takeovers of ESPN and Bleacher Report, for example, will complement the social promotion from the athletes involved and traditional advertising.
With BODYARMOR continuing its entry into the healthy alternative drink space, Bryant suggested how the brand is focused on younger athletes and the Gen Z audience.
“All of our athletes see that we’re in this movement where we’re competing for the next generation of athletes and saying, ‘Wanting to be one of the greatest athletes isn’t for everyone but if it is for you, then come join BODYARMOR.”
#ObsessionIsNatural @drinkBODYARMOR #ComingSoon pic.twitter.com/sj8PYDz90O
— Kristaps Porzingis (@kporzee) April 12, 2017