Timberwolves redefine Minnesota nice—behind NBA team's new marketing approach

As the NBA season tips off, the Minnesota Timberwolves have unveiled a new campaign meant to capture the energy and fan excitement around the team’s resurgence. “Bring the Nice” plays off the expression “Minnesota Nice,” merging a collegial and neighborly definition of the word “nice” into its evolution in culture, especially as it pertains to basketball. The resulting creation is like getting politely but forcefully dunked on. “We ain’t here to be nice,” Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards explains in the ad. “We’re here to be niiiiiiiice.” “‘Nice’ has come to mean something in the sport of basketball—skill, respect, recognition. It’s almost a synonym for ‘dope,’” said Chris Raih, founder of Zambezi, the Timberwolves’ creative agency. WNBA champion Sabrina Ionescu “hits a 30-foot shot for the Liberty, and they say ‘The girl’s nice.’” Also read: NBA CMO on its creator strategy and more See all of Ad Age’s 40 Under 40 honorees here The creative A brand film begins as Edwards delivers the “niiiiice” line from a darkened basketball court, then gallops into everyday scenes eliciting the same exclamation—pickup and school basketball games, a daring haircut or tattoo, or fans watching the Timberwolves in a bar and a diner, all set to a blaring fanfare. The ad ends with Edwards revealing the “Bring the Nice” tagline. Basketball fans will no doubt recognize that “bring the nice” shares similarities with “bring ya ass,” Edwards’ colorful invitation to analyst Charles Barkley to come see the team in the Western Conference finals last spring, delivered in a live interview on TNT. That phrase became a sensation, especially in Minnesota, where the state tourism bureau claimed the url bringyaass.com (the same url now directs users to a fundraising site for Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and running mate Tim Walz, the governor of Minnesota). Minnesota is ready for you, basketball fans! 🏀 Let's go, @Timberwolves! 🐺 pic.twitter.com/AXz4RR1tdW— Explore Minnesota (@exploreminn) May 20, 2024 Mike Grahl, chief marketing officer of the Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx, said the ad is more reflective of Edwards’ personality than any one of his remarks, noting the young star’s charisma and swagger has permeated the brand. “Obviously, Ant’s personality is such that it’s throughout our entire team, through our entire brand,” he said, referring to Edwards’ nickname. “There’s a swagger, a self-assuredness, a confidence, and a fierceness that is also loving and endearing.” “Bring the Nice” succeeds “Raised by Wolves,” a marketing theme the Timberwolves used for the past four seasons, meant to convey the message that the team was “on the hunt,” or progressing, Grahl said. As it ascended to become a championship contender, the club sought an agency to craft its next message, selecting Zambezi in June. Also read: Addidas channels Edwards’ swagger in recent campaign The insight Raih said a key to the campaign—and what he considers a trait of successful sports campaigns today—is the way it makes fans a part of the story. The NBA’s season-opening creative employed a similar tactic. The Timberwolves campaign asks fans to “bring all that local pride and neurosis and all the medals and scars that we have as a fan base, and bring it into the Target Center. Bring it to the way you root and cheer and post,” Raih said The campaign is also mindful of how fans are watching and talking about basketball today, with much of it in highlight packages digested online, added Raih. “It’s recognition that there's no wrong way cheer for the Timberwolves.” Grahl said that Timberwolves fans deserved a role in the team’s story—not just for passionately supporting the team but for making Target Center a difficult place for visiting teams to play. The film was shot in Minnesota by Zambezi’s production studio Fin, and the cast are all local fans. “Minnesotans are oftentimes described as nice, meaning friendly and hospitable,” Grahl said. “Coach [Chris] Finch talks about how Minnesota is a really hard place to play, and it’s because of how Wolves fans show up night in and night out, and that’s nice. And it’s not n-i-c-e. You need seven or eight I’s.” Fans shown in the spot include nationally ranked Minnesota high school basketball player Vienna Murray; a superfan known as “Geri,” who tattooed Naz Reid’s name on her arm; and DeAndre Raggs, a popular basketball YouTuber. Media strategy Spots in 60-, 30-, 15- and 6-second cuts will run on broadcast and digital, said Grahl. The shoot provided the team with two days of footage that he said would be put together to “have a long life,” across broadcast and digital. The hero film will air Oct. 22 during the Timberwolves regular-season opener versus the Los Angeles Lakers, airing and streaming locally on FanDuel Sports Network (formerly Bally Sports) and nationally on TNT. Zambezi also created a range of visual assets for digital and social, out-of-home, in-arena creative (above) and apparel. “The more people have been exposed to kind of the breadth of the campaign, the more kind of joy and engagement there is,” said Raih. The NBA season officially opens today with a game between the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics on TNT.

Timberwolves redefine Minnesota nice—behind NBA team's new marketing approach

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