As long as the National Basketball Association lockout continues, you won’t see Steve Nash in any game telecasts. But you’ll still see the two-time MVP during commercial breaks.
Currently, the Phoenix Suns point guard stars in TV ads for VitaminWater, EA Sports’ FIFA Soccer 12 videogame, and Toyota Prius. The VitaminWater ad was created by Crispin Porter + Bogusky, the EA Sports spot by Heat, and the Prius ad by Meathawk, a production company that Nash and his cousin-director Ezra Holland launched in 2008.
Nash, 37, works behind the camera as well, writing ads and selling them to marketers. He has been at it for a few years now, having sold his first ad to Nike in 2007.
Advertising is just one of Nash’s many off-the-court sidelines, which also include a philanthropic foundation, investments in soccer teams, and a stake in Consigliere Brand Capital, which invests in a range of retail, consumer, sports, and media brands. (His partner in Consigliere is Mike Duda, the former new business chief at Deutsch.)
Clearly, when Nash, a 15-year veteran of the NBA, hangs up his high tops, he won’t be at a loss as to what to do next. See you for a glass of rosé at Cannes, Steve.
