IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING! It seems that Adidas is truly living by there words in their new Basketball is brotherhood campaign. The truth of the matter is that the whole campaign is spectacular. Any ball player will tell you that the emotions and the feel of the campaign are genuine. The execution of the concept and exploration of the culture are flawless.

Remember the sound of the first ball hitting the court at 7am for Saturday morning practice. Or the synchronized panting of a group of guys who just ran 30 laps. Or maybe the queasy feeling you get in your stomach from the infectious laughter you shared on the bus ride to the gym. If you don’t, then this campaign will surely bring you back by indulging in their fully integrated Brotherhood campaign. An in-depth look at an elite basketball camp where NBA all-stars teach the next generation about the essence of Brotherhood.

Is there any better way to say it then, Basketball is a Brotherhood. A band of brothers, a team, a family, a fraternity of warriors. The truth is the message resonates deep within the core of young men whose’ hoops dreams of NBA fame died long ago and have turned to corporate world ambitions. And to the Youngbloods who are still living the dream it, serves as an inspiration and motivation for the struggle of the off-season. Authenticity is the key, Adidas has capitalized on it and that’s why this spot works so well. It’s not just clever way to sell you kicks, it’s about the concepts of hard work, no pain no fame, die for your teammates, and sacrifice. Just look at the character and personality of the coaches, Tracy McGrady Chauncey Billups Kevin Garnett, Dwight Howard, Tim Duncan, and agent zero himself Gilbert Arenas. Most of them have rings some of them don’t, but all of them are recognized as being among the NBA’s elite players. All of which have already started paving their way for a place in Hall of Fame.

Lets look at the genius of this campaign from the advertising perspective. Not only have they established a small culture around the basketball brotherhood but they have given the perception that the consumer can also be apart of this elite training camp by gaining access through the website. The connection from the commercial leads to a push to the internet where players are highlighted in behind the scenes pep talks about their role in their respective brotherhoods. You’re able to view the NBA all-stars in a more personal manner. Including a segment with Dwight Howard Crankin that Soulja Boy with some youngsters.

But aside from the beautifully produced video footage they have the centerpiece of it all, the Team Signature basketball shoe displayed beautifully on the homepage. Its remarkable that Adidas has created a whole culture and community that can be self sustained on its own merit, and yet it’s really just added value to encourage people to buy the shoes. ( Welcome to the new direction of Advertising!) What truly makes this campain spectacular is that Adidas understands this segment. The mere fact that the shoes aren’t promoted every three seconds throughout the media speaks volumes to their commitment to the message. In fact the shoes are never even verbally mentioned by the players or the camp participants. Now, obviously everyone you see in the short films are sporting all Adidas appeal but there is not one time in any of the videos where the attention is drawn to the apparel and away from the camp.

The work my not receive awards from the industry but the vision of the campaign will be praised by ball players and fans alike for a very long time. The NBA Season starts next week and the Houston Rocket brotherhood will be ready to take the west!…What brotherhood do you belong to?