The marketing of Kobe

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WSJ on Nike's Stealthy Re-Launch of Kobe Bryant

WSJ on Nike's Stealthy Re-Launch of Kobe Bryant

Stephanie Kang of the Wall Street Journal wrote an interesting story about Nike's relationship with Kobe Bryant through his rape allegations.

Essentially, Nike kept marketing Bryant very quietly, through boutiques and shoes distributed to employees, to see if his stuff was in demand. They also tracked reactions to his name in the blogosphere. The article's a couple of months old, but I just found it online for free on the website of one of the companies Nike used to track public opinion. Here's some of what they found:


According to Marketing Evaluations Inc., which measures popularity, Mr. Bryant has become the least liked of all NBA players, not just because of his legal issues but also because of his public feuds with former teammate Shaquille O'Neal and coach Phil Jackson. Yet among male teenagers and young adults -- the primary drivers of Nike's high-priced footwear sales -- Mr. Bryant continues to be a star, according to market research firm Umbria Inc., which tracked 12 million blogs last December for data on popular NBA players.

At some point, of course, Nike found the public was ready to stomach Kobe again, because he now is back front and center in Nike advertising.

[WayOutWest]

Figures.  If a POS like Iverson can pull in the mindless dollars, so can a player like Kobe.  He's definately hard to like.

[rickortreat]

The difference is Iverson is "keeping it real"  while Kobe is a phony with no street cred.  Everyone knows Kobe's the rich, snobby kid who was brought up to know better.

In the meantime, Iverson's proven himself to be a better role model, willing to represent his county in the Olympics while others turn up their nose at representing their country.  

[WayOutWest]

Iverson "keeping it real" is a bunch of crap.  He's a punk wanna be thug.  Spoiled little bitch who can't even speak proper English after his alleged college education.  As Cris Rock once said, keeping it real is keeping it real ignorant.  When I hear Iverson speak, that's one of the first thoughts that come to mind, ignorant.

Excuse me if I put them both in the "punk" category on my infallible player list.
 

[westkoast]

The difference is Iverson is "keeping it real"  while Kobe is a phony with no street cred.  Everyone knows Kobe's the rich, snobby kid who was brought up to know better.

In the meantime, Iverson's proven himself to be a better role model, willing to represent his county in the Olympics while others turn up their nose at representing their country.

That's exactly it Rick.  Older people may think the 'keeping it real' factor is a joke and stupid but it does sell shoes and other items.  Especially with hip hop hitting mainstream America in full force.  Being 'real' sells shoes no getting around that.

As for him cleaning up his image cuz he goes to play for the olympics? Uhh No. LOL.  He still hangs out in 'the hood' and he is still hanging out with all the thugsta hip hopers when he is not playing basketball.  He is lucky his gun wielding fiasco a few years back has been forgotten by most.

Kobe will continue to be marketable regardless and he still would have sold shoes during post-trial if they learned to design a good looking shoe.  The people who don't like Kobe because of his fued with Shaq probably were not going to buy his shoes anyways.  As long as he continues to be a good player in this league he is going to be marketable.

[Derek Bodner]

I hate keeping it real.

I also hate phonies.

Iverson at his peak marketing was never going to reach Dr. J/Michael Jordan level.  That's because Dr. J and Michael Jordan were marketable to everyone.  They created likable public personas.  Iverson has never tried to create a public persona, and his marketing did reflect that.

Of course, meanwhile, Dr. J was fathering multiple kids out of wedlock and ABANDONING them because he didn't want it to get out to the public.  Meanwhile, Iverson hasn't been in a peep of trouble since the accusation about him looking for his wife (and, keep in mind, the accuser DROPPED charges after attempting to settle out of court).

Iversons a better person in my book than Dr. J.  Yet Doctor had a more likable persona.

As for Iverson vs. Kobe, the reason he gets the marketing he does is because people can relate to him.  They can relate to how he grew up (with nothing).  They can relate to how he plays the game (not taking anything away from Kobe, but when the ball goes up Iverson looks like he gives a damn as much as anyone in the league).  Take a look at last night.  I don't know if anyone saw it, but with the game on the line Iverson knocked the ball away from the defender, was chasing down the loose ball, and the way he dove, smacking his head, coming up with the ball, it looked like a fumble in football.  He then passed the ball to a teammate, got it back, took it to the rack and gave the sixers the lead.  People love watching him play like that.

And yes, the Olympics are part of an appeal.  While a lot of guys can't be bothered, Iverson has repeatedly said it's an honor to go, both the first time and now for the rest.  People can relate to that as well.

When Kobe was in his predicament, nobody could relate to him.  Very few people were as lucky as he was growing up.  Heck, even height has something to do with it.  Iverson's the average man's height.

Iverson is a very divisive person.  Some people can't look past the faults that he obviously has.  Those who can fall in love with his positive qualities that he also obviously has.  You either love him or hate him.  That's why he can on the one hand always be marketable to a certain segment, but will also never be marketable to everyone.

[Rickortreat]

Dabods is so dead-on with his comments and this observation:

Iversons a better person in my book than Dr. J. Yet Doctor had a more likable persona.

This is really where it's at for most of us.  Dr. J had that smile and that charisma. As far as he was concerned he was "keeping it real" by cultivating a persona to go along with his amazeing arial game.  That persona also included children out of wedlock, and all kinds of aberrant behavior that I didn't know about.

Dr. J was always my favorite until I heard the real truth, now it's clear that I was had by a phony who was not who he pretended to be!   :angry:

Iverson loves the game and the fans and leaves it out there every night.  That dive on the floor for a loose ball at a critical juncture last night probably won the game for the Sixers.  He even sank the last shot for the Sixers to go ahead, a clutch jumper that he cleared space for by faking out his defender with 4 sec. left.   :up:

Obviously A.I. isn't as refined as Erving or most of the other stars  in the NBA.  It is even fair and accurate to call him ignorant about a number of things, but in reality he's a better person than Erving or Shawn Kemp or even Larry Bird!     :nod:

I don't respect men who don't take care of their children.  I think that's about as irresponsible as one can get.

I measure people by more than their cultural upbringing or their sophistication.  A.I. has heart and a good emotional compass.  He is loyal to his long-time friends and some would call that a fault.  He busts his hump every time he steps onto the court and he cares deeply about doing his best.  

I like AI better than Dr. J now.  I'm not into hip-hop or his style of dress or the tatoos, but I respect the postive changes he has made in his life.  This is AI's best year in the league so far, and he's getting better. at a time when a lot of people are anticipating that he would break down from the cumulative beating he takes.  He is now moving up in the record book, in a lot of instances in fewer games than the people he's overtaking.

There aren't many players who have scored 60 pts. in a game.  Just a handful actually.  And AI's name is now on that list with some of the best players ever.  

 :nod:

So rip him all you want, but he's a great player and a worthy star in a league filled with spoiled egotistical brats and craven weasels.  

[guest-koast]

Ya and hes one of em LOL

I dont see why you constantly give him a pass for things you look down upon on that others in the league do.  So hes not an uppity baby, hes still a thug .  You are right, he plays hard and is a great player.  Top 5 in the league right now but he has an ego himself and defines the thug image in the NBA.  AI is hob knobbing it up with the same gangstas and thugs who talk about it on records...  Just like C-Webb, Kobe, T-mac, Ron Artest, Jaleen Rose, and the rest of the bad news crew in the NBA does.  Just because you don't see guys like him and T-Mac on hip hop DVDs hanging out with guys flashing guns and chains doesn't mean they are not doing that.

[Derek Bodner]

I love how everyone sees things in black and white.

Nobody ever has good qualities and bad qualities.  They're just good and bad people.

BTW, that handgun incident was 8 years ago.  Can people's lifestyles not change?

Iverson's biggest problem is he still maintains some of his old friends.  But to comment on what kind of a person he is without knowing him is tough to do.

[guest-koast]

I love how everyone sees things in black and white.

Nobody ever has good qualities and bad qualities.  They're just good and bad people.

BTW, that handgun incident was 8 years ago.  Can people's lifestyles not change?

Iverson's biggest problem is he still maintains some of his old friends.  But to comment on what kind of a person he is without knowing him is tough to do.

Sure the lifestyle can change but his has not.  Like I said, just because you guys dont see guys like AI and T-Mac hanging out with thugs flashing guns and talking about how hard they hustle in the hood doesn't mean that it does not happen.  Those two have shown up on  hip hop DVDs with these guys and talking about how cool they are with em.  Not along time ago either, fairly recently.  He is part of the same crew of NBA players who do this.  That includes Ron Artest, Chris Webber, Jaleen Rose, Kobe Bryant, Tracy Mcgrady, and Allen Iverson.

 His gun charge was 8 years ago...the incident I am talking about between he and his wife where he broke into a relatives flashing a gun is not.

Personally it doesnt bother me...I am just pointing out that AI is getting a golden pass for doing things that others are looked down upon for.  The olympics is not going to change that.

[Derek Bodner]

Wait, so because you is in rap videos you know his lifestyle?

puh leeze.

His gun charge was 8 years ago...the incident I am talking about between he and his wife where he broke into a relatives flashing a gun is not.

A few things about that "incident"
1) The apartment he "broke into" was his apartment, paid for by Allen Iverson.
2) The one who accused him of having a gun, a) never said he brandished the gun, b.) later dropped the charges after he wasn't awarded a settlement out of court.

[westkoast]

Wait, so because you is in rap videos you know his lifestyle?

puh leeze.

His gun charge was 8 years ago...the incident I am talking about between he and his wife where he broke into a relatives flashing a gun is not.

A few things about that "incident"
1) The apartment he "broke into" was his apartment, paid for by Allen Iverson.
2) The one who accused him of having a gun, a) never said he brandished the gun, b.) later dropped the charges after he wasn't awarded a settlement out of court.

Rap videos? No DB, they are hip hop dvds where they interview people.  You know what all of those DVDs consist of?  Guys flashing semi automatic guns and hand guns yelling out their 'gang' and how hard they are....then talking smack on some "rap rival" they have problems with.  These are not hip hop music videos, these are guys with cameras walking into 'the hood' and interviewing people.  Huge difference.

Thats funny DB because your story doesnt match up with the scanned police report of what happend in 02.

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/alleniversonmug2.html

Says right here he threatend a guy in the backroom of an apartment that is someone elses.

[JoMal]

First off, putting yourself in the position of having to defend yourself against gun charges is fairly irresponsible to begin with, and hardly the image you covet in NBA stars.

Second, comparing an alledged rapist to someone who alledgedly branished a gun and broke into an apartment on which one has the better community image - do any of you see how ridiculous that sounds?  

[westkoast]

First off, putting yourself in the position of having to defend yourself against gun charges is fairly irresponsible to begin with, and hardly the image you covet in NBA stars.

Second, comparing an alledged rapist to someone who alledgedly branished a gun and broke into an apartment on which one has the better community image - do any of you see how ridiculous that sounds?

Who is comparing AI to Kobe to see who has the better community image?  I certainly am not.  Only reason Kobe was brought up is because he is part of the crew of NBA players who give the league a black eye with their behavior off the court.  Neither of them have any sort of good community image.    I am just pointing out that AI is getting a golden pass for his actions.

[rickortreat]

The fact is, that was his apartment, or at least he was paying rent on it.  The police report doesn't mention that, because no one told the police that it was AI's.  There were no charges filled against Iverson by the people in the apartment.

It's clear that AI didn't act with good judgement in this case.  There are better ways to try to find your wife or work things out than threatening her friends.

But, no-one's giving him a pass for all of this.  We're simply understanding about how difficult it is to adopt a classy, upper class style of living when you were brought up by a crack whore in a Virginia slum.

Where is a guy like this suppossed to find positive role models?  He doesn't travel in those kinds of circles.  Most everyone he meets who wants to do somthing with him wants his money in return.  We all think that certain levels of conduct and understanding are universal, but clearly they are not.

There are lots of people like AI who live miserable lives because of their lack of values and internal integrity.  Unlike AI who has the skills to be a professional athlete and therefore makes it into the public eye, you never hear about these types of people until something bad enough happens so they hit the news.

What makes these videos so popular is the ignorance and lack of judgement of these people, both those who make them and star in them.

It is a terrible shame that some look to these types of people as role models.  This is a very sick society, where the faults of the parents get passed onto their children, parents who's only right to be parents came from their sexual desire as oppossed to an emotional bond with another person.

I don't excuse AI's failings at all, but it's easier to accept abberant behavior in someone who comes from his background than it is someone like Kobe.