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The basketball nets appear to be made of Swarovski crystals, and nobody can dunk on that much drip. Ken Jeong catches a signature no-look pass from Magic Johnson—as if!—and Jimmy Kimmel expects a roomful of chatty party guests to “just be quiet for two hours.”
In those ways, the new short film hyping the upcoming NBA Finals is a fantasy-filled alternate universe. But in most of its other elements, it’s a highly stylized version of reality, packed with National Basketball Association royalty and Hollywood celebrities mingling in a Gatsby-esque setting.
The mini-movie, from longtime agency partner Translation, aims to whip up excitement for the postseason games that tip off June 6. It’s part of a broader marketing effort that includes out-of-home, digital, audio and print ads, along with a Times Square watch party, a premium pop-up lounge at the Governors Ball music festival, retail and global activations and the second-year tour of the Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy.
The hero commercial, dubbed “The Toast,” intends to showcase “the pinnacle of the NBA season,” according to Tammy Henault, chief marketing officer. “We wanted to ensure that our creative captured the gravity of that.”
The video, directed by Hungry Man’s Dave Laden, features Dwyane Wade as the master of ceremonies in a glamorous, mood-lit speakeasy, raising a glass of bubbly to “the season that was and the champion to be.” And because the league loves its boldface names, Wade gets an assist from Queen Latifah in playing host to NBA legends Johnson, Isiah Thomas and Ray Allen; ESPN commentator Mike Breen; and Women’s National Basketball Assocation stars Kamilla Cardoso and Angel Reese of the Chicago Sky.
