Heater, The Heat Unveil Reebok Spots

BOSTON: The long-awaited first ads from Heater Advertising for Reebok International feature professional basketball player Allen Iverson and attempt to elevate the footwear maker’s Vector symbol to the level of Nike’s Swoosh.
The 30-second “Rites of Passage” commercial combines shots of graffiti-style murals with a rap song that chronicles Iverson’s escapades both on and off the court. Lyrics allude to the star’s recent arrest (“first thought: suspect, complaints lodged and filed, a hurt and hungry past”) and explain how, with help from the DMX 2000 shoe, he’ll “do what is needed” and “transcend, persevere.”