Converse Captures Dwyane Wade's Love of Basketball with New TV Spot

Miami HEAT guard Dwyane Wade's life is focused around his passion to play basketball and his love for the game. For the start of the 2007-2008 NBA season, Converse announces a new integrated marketing campaign highlighting the basketball journey of a skinny kid from Robbins, Ill., to an NBA Champion, in a spot inspired by the written words of Wade himself. "From Robbins, Illinois" will begin airing October 28, 2007 to coincide with the new WADE 3 signature basketball shoe.

Converse's national campaign is inspired by a letter written by Dwyane Wade to describe his relationship with basketball and how its challenges drive his desire to succeed. Shot in American Airlines Arena and directed by award-winning director Samuel Bayer, the spot follows a solitary Dwyane Wade as he enters the empty arena and reflects both on his journey from small town Robbins, Illinois, but also on his imminent return to the big stage. With his heart full of emotion and his mind focused, he announces his name over the public address system.


"Being out last season with injuries reminded me of my first year at Marquette University when I had to sit out for a year. It was like basketball was being taken away from me again and it inspired me to put my thoughts on paper. Most people may not believe that I wrote this, but I did," said Dwyane Wade. "I've spent the off-season preparing to come back and take the court. When I hear my name announced this season, I'll know that I'm back with basketball."

"Converse is about the pure love of the game, and Dwyane's letter truly embodies the values and traditions of the Converse basketball brand," said Chris Mike, Vice President of Marketing at Converse. "This season, Converse will increase their basketball presence with new product and marketing initiatives and our largest NBA athlete roster in 20 years. Dwyane's position as our marquee athlete and his passion for the game is a true representation of our brand and further solidifies Converse within the performance basketball category."


The television spot will begin running October 28, 2007 on ESPN, MTV, BET and during NBA programming.

Converse will support the television effort with a wide range of print, out-of-home and in-store advertising. The print campaign is product focused with photos of the WADE 3 signature basketball shoe accompanied by copy designed to inspire people to play basketball such as, "This is the new WADE 3 basketball shoe. It won't silence the doubters. You have to do that." And, "This is the WADE 3 basketball shoe. It won't bring you back from a 0-2 deficit. Only you can do that." Converse print ads will appear in national sports publications, as well as OOH campaigns in Miami and Chicago.



The WADE 3 advertising campaign was created by Anomaly, led by creative director Mike Byrne, in New York.


Dwyane Wade's Letter
"In the summer of 2000-2001, high school had ended and it was time for college. I did everything in my power to take you with me, but you didn't wanna go. You said I needed to become a man and that I counted on you way too much...so you left me - feeling unsure, unloved and confused. How could you not love me anymore?

You've had my heart since I first laid eyes on you. I woke up to the thought of you and went to sleep with my heart with you. You completed me and now you was leaving me. How? How could you? You left me with nothing to do...no one to turn to...You help mold me into the man that I am today. You were the one that understood me - but I knew deep down inside you were gonna come back to me.

So I practiced on ways that I could love you more, and for you to never leave me again. And then 2001-2002 came...you said the words that I've always dreamed of hearing...

"From Robbins, Illinois, 6 foot 4 Guard ... Dwyane Wade."

And we fell in love all over again...To my first love...The Game of Basketball....I love you...

After signing Wade as a Converse athlete in 2003, Converse introduced its first signature shoe for the NBA All Star, called WADE, in November 2005. It was the shoe Wade wore through his NBA Championship win and Finals MVP award that year. In November 2006, Converse launched the WADE 1.3 signature shoe, followed by the WADE 2.0 signature shoe in February 2007. Converse will introduce the WADE 3 signature shoe at the start of the 2007-2008 NBA season.

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