They don’t call Kobe Bryant “The Black Mamba” for nothing. His ability to transform into a deadly force and strike without warning on the basketball court earned him the right to assume such a normally ridiculous nickname. Kobe’s “Mamba Moments” have never been extended beyond the game, though, until now.
Nike Basketball and R/GA have teamed up to emulate his transformation digitally through a website experience that changes the superstar from Kobe to Mamba through tweets. As Kobe’s tweets accumulate, the dark serpent inside him gradually grows until the beast is unleashed (kind of like Bill Bixby turning into Lou Ferrigno, we guess).
When the site reaches “Mamba” state, which is dependent upon a Twitter integration/algorithm that monitors the social conversations and automates the metamorphosis, users will have six-hour access to exclusive Kobe content and be eligible to win limited edition Kobe VI sneakers.
Just for kicks, check out a “Black Mamba” ad starring Kobe, Bruce Willis and Machete (talk about random) after the jump.