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NORTH ANDOVER, MA (October 23, 2006) – With an
assist from filmmaker Spike Lee, Converse will introduce
its newest signature shoe for NBA Finals MVP Dwyane
Wade, called WADE 1.3, via a series of TV spots
scheduled to begin airing October 26, 2006.
Shot documentary-style, the television advertising is
created to reveal the inner thoughts of Dwyane Wade and
expose the human side of one of basketball’s most
exciting players. Spike Lee’s vision for the spots is to
show an insightful, intimate look at the real person
inside the jersey while showcasing his new Converse WADE
1.3 signature shoe.
The television effort is supported by a wide range of
print, out-of-home and in-store advertising that is
titled “R3ADY” in reference to Wade’s number “3” and his
attitude toward the upcoming season. The print also
reveals the thoughtful side of Wade with close-up images
of Wade beside quotes such as: “Most of what I know I
learned from my sister.”
“Dwyane Wade has proven himself as a tremendous
athlete,” said Ric Wilson, Global Sports Marketing
Director at Converse. “Through this campaign, we’re
hoping to show other dimensions of Dwyane – Dwyane as a
father, a son, a student, a leader. This young athlete
has so much to offer outside of his game and we want
people to start seeing him as more than a basketball
player.”
The seven-spot series will begin running October 26,
2006 on ESPN, MTV, BET and during NBA programming,
Converse plans to include excerpts from the television
spots on www.converse.com, showing additional excerpts
of the conversations between Spike Lee and Dwyane Wade.
The campaign was created by agency Butler, Shine, Stern
& Partners in Sausalito, CA.
“The Converse brand is all about authenticity, and so is
Dwyane Wade,” noted Adrian Hilton, Associate Creative
Director at BSSP. “This advertising campaign was created
to celebrate Wade the man, and will stand out in the
marketplace by showcasing the depth and insight into the
athlete.”
Established in 1908, the Converse brand has built a
reputation as “America’s Original Sports Company”™ and
has been associated with a rich heritage of legendary
shoes such as the Chuck TaylorŪ All StarŪ shoe, the Jack
PurcellŪ shoe and the One StarŪ shoe. Converse was the
first basketball shoe to ever make contact with the
court in 1917. Soon after, Converse gained iconic status
with the creation of the Chuck Taylor All Star shoe,
which went unmatched through five decades of
professional basketball.
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