James Harden has been feeling some heat lately. The Houston Rockets star has been criticized in more than a few corners for a certain lack of effort. Which makes his newest Adidas ad all the more timely.
In “Creators Never Follow,” by agency 72andSunny, the NBA all-star hits back a bit at his critics saying, “Those who mind, don’t matter, and those that matter, don’t mind.” The spot continues the brand’s contrarian attitude seen in previous spots featuring Lionel Messi and Gareth Bale, telling amateurs to unfollow the stars and instead focus on themselves.
Ryan Morlan, adidas Global Vice President of Marketing says the campaign is about inspiring and motivating creators to seize opportunity and refuse to follow what others have done in the past. “Today’s athletes carve out their own path, play by their own rules and don’t care what you think,” says Morlan. “They inspire others. ‘Creators Never Follow’ showcases individual expression, fan affinity and style. Through the lens of basketball, individuality and progress, we are motivating athletes to trust their gut, to challenge the status quo and create their own definition of leading the game.”
That definition may not be shared by Rockets fans bemoaning their team’s 10th place standing in the NBA’s Western Conference.
