As we all know, Kobe Bryant lost his life on January 26, 2020, in a helicopter crash. Their helicopter crashed near their home in California with his 13-year-old daughter, six family friends, and a pilot. Kobe Bryant, a 41-year-old former Laker, was going with his daughter, Gianna, to a youth basketball tournament in Thousand Oaks to coach her team. There was a total of nine people in the helicopter.
And this is when the pilot was distracted due to dense fog, and the helicopter began to lose its altitude and slammed into the hillside of tall grass and brush. When the firefighter team reached the scene, there were no survivors, and a dull shock came over the nation and the whole world. It was hard, and especially for South California.
Fans got together to Staples Center with flowers and praying candles for the memorial. It was an unforgettable day for people, especially basketball fans. The grief is as fresh as it happened yesterday. This incident shook our grasp on the universe, and no matter how wealthy or talented you are, you cannot immune yourself to this incident.
Soon, the world will be remembering him again on his first death anniversary. He will always be in the hearts of people as a legend gone too soon.
The Sudden Death of Legend
Well, no one can reverse death; everyone has to go one day. But the real trial starts when the person dies andleaves behind all his work and commitments. And the same happened in Mamba’s case. After his death, when the world was mourning, Bryant’s business partners were in a critical situation and were grappled with different questions.
They were worried about their brands and business, of which Kobe was the face. Now they were pondering over how to continue this legacy in a profitable way without looking like vultures. They have to find a new face for their brands and businesses without hurting the sentiments of people.
Kobe Bryant Collaboration with Brands
Kobe Bryant collaborated with many brands, but most of his collaboration was with Nike for a special collection of shoes. He appeared in various ads for Nike and collaborated and signed different contracts with Adidas, sprite, and McDonalds. All of these brands utilized his marketability to endorse numerous products over many years.
He has signed many contracts with Nikesince 2003. Even when Kobe lost his two endorsement deals, it was Nike that stuck with him. And his signature shoes ranked among the top sellers of the company for over 15 years. Bryant’s partnership with Nike has been solid.
Not only did Nike support him, but Bryant also helped them build their $6 billion China Business. He made regular trips to China, where his fan following increased when he showed his on-court skills. The people of China loved him as he embraced their culture. His jersey became the regular best-seller in China, and his Nike shoes are still available in their markets. The success of the Nike Kobe Ad 2019 review showed that how people love to buy Nike Kobe AD.
Nike’s tribute to Mamba
Recently, Nike paid tribute to this legend by releasing the ad with the title ‘Better.’ It was narrated by Kendrick Lamar, and this ad asks the audience to apply Kobe’s commitment that is excellence to everything in our lives and be better in anything you want to be in your life.
No matter if you are in sports or social change or a teacher or a parent, imagine yourself in a world where everyone works to the fullest and achieve their goals in the field. Just like how Mamba did.
This tribute ad ends with Kobe’s retirement speech when he says, “Mamba Out!” it was such a poignant moment. First, his retirement and then his death, both of these tragic moments have put people in grief and made them sad.
Some of His Best Commercials
He did numerous commercials with Nike. But here are few best ones that are still remembered today.
1. Nike Kobe Ad Mid
In this ad, Mamba talks about his mentality and tells the world that you should be passionate about what you are doing. Don’t worry about what people will say. He wants everyone to have this Mamba mentality that is about the quest and is not afraid of competition but to be better at anything you are doing.
Now talking about the shoes, it provides excellent play and performance. The traction was awesome, and the cushions are solid. It is a $150 signature shoes and offers a multi-directional coverage that will not disappoint.
2. Nike ‘The Kobe XI’
In the commercial, we see Kobe Bryant giving us the motivation to keep focus and keep moving until you achieve our goal by telling our own aspirations. The ad shows his picture of his starting in this career, and then he tells how he succeeded in achieving what he wished for.
The shoes have traction on pristine courts. It fits well and provides good stability. There is a chance that the traction may not work on dusty floors. It has no midfoot support and has midfoot containment. But it is still best for guards.
3. Nike ‘The Kobe X’
The commercial shows a black mamba, and an arrow thrown towards it. In short, it shows Kobe Bryant’s and Nike’s collaboration. The commercial does not have dialogues. It just shows their new product from various angles, and the advertisement does not fail to show how magnificent the shoe looks.
If we consider reviewing the shoes, well, it has excellent and comforting traction, cushioning, and fits well. Maybe you will feel upper stiff in the starting, but it will gradually settle down.
4. Nike ‘The Kobe IX’
Again, the commercial displays the shoes and their design.
The shoes have good traction and are more firm than the previous shoes in the collection. They are refined with lunar-on cushioning. If you value traction more than anything, then these shoes are best for the guard and have a nice balanced cushion setup. It provides little midfoot support.
5. Nike ‘The Kobe VIII’
In this commercial, you will see different visuals and activities related to Kobe Bryant. All the different activities around the world are amazingly connected to his life routine or his achievements. The ad ends by showing the new shoes of the collection, which is metaphorically related to snakes. You can also see a glimpse of his evolution in basketball.
About the shoes: it is low to ground and will make you feel nimble. It provides good stability and fits well. And just like other shoes of the collection, it offers good traction and cushioning.
Conclusion
Kobe Bryant has been Nike’s face for a very long time, and these ads are a memory of Mamba. He is a legend who willalways be remembered, and Nike is just making it better with their remembrance ads.