Make fun of it. BBDO New York plays with sports ad clichés.

The Possibilities style voiceover. The epic theme music. The practice jump shots in dramatically lit gym. The “workout in an unnecessarily hot room”. The early morning run through an industrial neighbourhood.

Flipping tyres in a wheatfield. The “close up with sweat dripping off your nose.” They’re the sports gear clichés. You’ve seen and heard them all.

BBDO New York didn’t avoid them. It made fun of them, to help Foot Locker get the message out that the Air Jordan 29 basketball shoe is (and its wearers are) “Ready to Fly”. Of course, one cliché remained unadulterated. The ad uses City Thunder point guard, Russell Westbrook.

It’s just that his young ward’s Air Jordans are not making him ready for the amazing athlete feats of which clichés are made. Yep, the message is that the shoes don’t make the athlete. You have to push yourself to the limit. There’s even a scene in which Spike Lee appears to tell the kid, “Why don’t you Be Like Mike…and retire.”

Makes the brand look honest, doesn’t it? When you’re talking to the no bullshit generation, as this ad is, that’s rather a good look to have.

Creative credits:

Agency: BBDO New York

Chief Creative Officer, Worldwide: David Lubars

Chief Creative Officer, New York: Greg Hahn

Executive Creative Directors: Chris Beresford-Hill & Dan Lucey

Production Company: O Positive

Director: Jim Jenkins

Executive Producers: Ralph Laucella & Marc Grill

Director of Photography: Dion Beebe

Editing: Mckenzie Cutler

Music: Human

Sound: Sound Lounge