Adidas signed Derrick Rose to the largest contract in the company’s history—just days before he tore his ACL, sidelining him for the upcoming season. Within days, we began production on a campaign that transformed a lost season into a fan movement, with over 140 million fans rallying behind #TheReturn.
Three weeks after launch, Adidas surpassed its sell-through goals for Derrick’s signature shoe. It eventually outsold LeBron’s—a first for an Adidas signature shoe against Nike.
The creative presentation for this campaign? Just one slide:
The campaign won gold at the Effies. Here is the case study: