Blake Griffin Might Be a Product-Endorsing Robot

By Jordan Teicher 

BBDO New York and Foot Locker know that Clippers forward/dunker Blake Griffin is a commercial machine – Subway, Kia, Jordan Brand to rattle off a few quickly. So for their latest joint venture, “The Endorser,” the creatives decided to physically hook up Griffin to a machine called The Endorser as if he were programmed to place products. For some Lob City support, Clippers point guard/whiner Chris Paul steps in as a foil to turn off the machine and show us the difference between Real Blake and Robot Blake.

The spot is another smart and self-aware sports bit that takes advantage of an athlete’s public persona through subversion. Griffin is usually stone-faced or arrogantly posturing on the court after huge dunks, but he’s built up a quiet niche as a funnyman on television. Just see this Grantland piece from March that discusses why Blake’s comedy is more complex than you might think. The only issue with Blake is overexposure, like, when his sponsorship brands debut separate commercials within the same week. His Jordan “Blake and Drain” spot, which alludes to MJ and Spike Lee ads from twenty years ago, is even better than the Footlocker commercial. And for that reason, “The Endorser” might get lost in the ever-expanding Blake Griffin commercial merry-go-round. Credits after the jump.

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Chief Creative Officer:                                     David Lubars
Senior Creative Director:                                 Chris Beresford-Hill

Senior Creative Director:                                 Dan Lucey

ACD/Copywriter:                                              Jessica Coulter

ACD/Art Director:                                            Matt Sorrell

Executive Producer:                                         Anthony Curti

Executive Music Producer:                               Melissa Chester

 

Production Company:                                      O Positive

Director:                                                          Jim Jenkins

Executive Producer:                                         Ralph Laucella

EP/Line Producer:                                            Marc Grill

Director of Photography:                                 Jeff Cutter

 

Editorial:                                                          Mackenzie Cutler

Editor:                                                              Ian Mackenzie

Assistant Editor:                                              Nick Divers

Executive Producer:                                         Sasha Hirshfeld

Sound Design:                                                 Sam Shaffer

 

Sound:                                                             Sound Lounge

Sound Mixer:                                                   Tom Jucarone

 

VFX/Conform:                                                  Schmigital

Smoke Artist:                                                   Jimmy Hayhow

 

Color:                                                               CO3

Colorist:                                                           Tim Masick

 

GFX:                                                                 Hornet inc

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