Translation launched a campaign for the NBA capitalizing on the popularity of March Madness and reminding hoops fans that “The Dance Never Ends” and the NBA Playoffs are right around the corner on April 18th.
In a series of 15-second spots, Translation visualizes the NCAA/NBA connection by transporting NBA stars back to their college years. Russell Westbrook gets the treatment in the ad above, slamming down a dunk and then morphing into a bear wearing a UCLA Bruins jersey. The same basic approach is applied to game footage of other stars, including Dwyane Wade, James Harden, Stephen Curry and Kyle Lowry. It’s a clever way to make the connection to the excitement of March Madness and get fans stoked for the upcoming NBA Playoff, as well as a reminder that some of the best players in the NCAA will be NBA stars soon enough (and finally getting a big payday).