Reebok has signed the rapper Jay-Z, as well as stars including Allen Iverson, who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers, and Baron Davis of the New Orleans Hornets. The ad was created by Arnell Group, New York.
In the Nike corner, a series of television and print ads will show battles between the NBA stars Gary Payton and Steven Nash, and Tony Parker versus Jason Kidd. The ad was created by Wieden & Kennedy, Portland and features a hip-hop soundtrack recorded by The Neptunes. The Neptunes production team has worked with stars including Jay-Z.
Both companies are promoting basketball shoes in their campaigns.
Reebok's 30-second ad will open with Jay-Z welcoming fans to a basketball extravaganza, to be followed by five players showcasing their talents on a shiny silver court while Jay-Z rhymes to a background beat.
Micky Pant, chief marketing officer of Reebok, said: "This is a powerful TV spot that effectively illustrates the strength of the fusion of sports and music. We feel very strong about this spot because of the way it came together so nicely with our athletes and Jay-Z. The Jay-Z lyrics have a nice sports theme to them."
Nike's ad will run in 60- and 30-second executions, as well as in print, outdoor and retail campaigns. Wieden & Kennedy has been won awards for its Nike advertising, most recently picking up top honours at the Cannes Advertising Festival for its "tag" execution.
If you have an opinion on this or any other issue raised on Brand Republic, join the debate in the .