We weren’t going to comment on the LeBron James Nike stink-pile-of-an-ad because, well, it was just too frickin’ offensive.
But then we saw the South Park parody and rejoiced, and it motivated us to join in on the turd-throwing at the tone deaf thinking behind Nike’s LeBron screw-you ad.
But first we want to toast Matt Stone and Trey Parker for this brilliant mashup of LeBron and BP former CEO Tony Hayward.
…. ‘What should I do? Should I admit that I was wrong, ask for forgiveness and go back to my original team? No, screw that! I’m just gonna keep on being a dick!’
WHAM! Nailed it.
Exactly what are we meant to feel for LeBron in his Nike ad? He asks ‘What should I do?’ and our response is, ‘why the f*ck are you asking us? And what will you do if we tell you?’ We know the answer: Nothing. The insincerity is painful.
If that weren’t enough, LeBron proceeds to mock basketball fans (“Shoud I read you a soulful poem?”), and then he shows his contempt for them (“Should I be who you want me to be?”) We’re not going to include the creative team credits on this one, because we suspect they already have their tails between their legs. Somehow they managed to create a spot where each successive word out of LeBron’s mouth makes him more and more of a dick. LeBron even mocks Charles Barkley with his sarcastic, “I am not a role model”.
Whatever. LeBron wants it his way, and then he wants it to be ‘okay’, just like any selfish child. We get his POV. But what’s Nike’s angle? We have no idea. Do they support his behavior (we’re not referring to the decision, but all the misguided hype around it)? Are they simply holding up a mirror to his solipsism? Or maybe Nike is so devilishly smart, that they actually got LeBron to admit he’s an asshole without even realizing it?! We don’t know. And we have no idea what they’re attempting to say to their consumers.
This is one of the most tone deaf ads we’ve seen in a loooong time. It made us cringe, for both of them. And we suspect it’ll be one of those things that’ll curl LeBron’s toes if he’s ever made to watch it years from now. Then again, maybe not.
Luckily, the minds behind South Park have given us some perspective on all this, by redirecting this narcissistic pile of crap toward the equally banal blundering of BP and Tony Hayward, who, for the record, has no regrets.
In case you’re one of the few who haven’t seen it, here’s the Nike/LeBron foul-smelling thing:
Text would go here relating to the offer