Animation spices up new ‘NBA on ESPN’ campaign by Arts & Letters

The NBA is something of a highlight factory on its own, but the thrills are punched up a notch in Arts & Letters’ new ad for “NBA on ESPN.” The agency engaged U.K. animation design company Ilovedust to produce an array of art styles such as comic book art, retro video game graphics, explosions and multiple typefaces to accompany reels of electrifying on-court highlights in the ad, titled “This Time Is Different.” The approach was inspired by the disruptive effect of young talent in the league and the team reshufflings that have given the coming season an air of unpredictability. “The NBA has always felt like a reflection of the wildly varied styles and personalities of its players,” said Mike Behrends, creative director at Arts & Letters. “This on-court melting pot served as our collective guide to create a campaign that’s as alive, dynamic and, most importantly, different as the pivotal moment the league is in this year.” Also read: 13 creative campaigns to know about today Swagger and attitude are imparted by the narration of Killer Mike, whose hip-hop duo Run the Jewels provides the ad’s soundtrack, “Oh My Darling Don’t Cry.” “This Time Is Different” is the fifth installment of the “It’s NBA on ESPN Time” platform. The campaign launched during the 2020-21 season with an evolving tagline around the notion of time, including “It’s Anyone’s Time” in 2021, “It’s a Beautiful Time for Basketball” in 2022 and “The Time Is Now” in 2023. The NBA season debuts Oct. 22; ESPN’s coverage starts Oct. 23. More Creativity coverage from Ad Age: Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.

Animation spices up new ‘NBA on ESPN’ campaign by Arts & Letters

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