Urban Eola

Introducing Roger Federer
Saturday, July 07, 2007

They say he's the best ever. And he's only 25 (turns 26 on 8.8.07). And now the best golfer in the world (T. Woods) introduces Roger Federer in his first ever Nike commercial. Check out this pretty sweet Roger Federer Nike commercial and read what CNBC sports biz. writer Darren Rovell has to say about the historic spot. [via RW]


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posted by Michael Tavani @ 2:03 PM | |

Reggie Bush and David Beckham compare footballs
Saturday, June 30, 2007

This video is awesome. Reggie Bush and David Beckham, whose 250 million-dollar deal with Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy begins next week, met in Madrid this week to film an adidas ad campaign called "futbol vs. football". David Beckham sporting football pads (and playing DB) and Reggie Bush taking penalty picks and juggling is priceless.

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posted by Michael Tavani @ 11:45 PM | |

Highly creative Puma print ads
Friday, May 04, 2007

[via Uniquely the Epitome and JB]

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posted by Michael Tavani @ 9:35 AM | |

'Melo Jumpman ad
Monday, April 30, 2007

Here's my posting philosophy: When I see fresh stuff, I post it. Although I try to diversify as much as possible and cover various interesting topics, freshness usually wins out. And even though I frequently post about Nike and their badass commercials and in general all athletic apparel ads, this 'Melo spot for Jumpman (Brand Jordan) is one of the baddest ads I've seen in a while. His fitness clips are totally authentic-looking and motivational.



Other athletic apparel ads posted on UE
- Mizuno running ads
- Nike Evolution video
- Motivation by Lance
- 25 years of Nike's Air Force
- D.Wade Converse commercial
- Adidas v. Nike
- Nike's football is everything

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posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:33 PM | |

D.Wade Converse commercial
Thursday, April 26, 2007

This commercial promoting Dywane Wade's new Converse Wade 2.0 shoes (beat by Rick Ross) makes me wanna break someone's ankles and dunk in their face. Unfortunately I don't see either of those happening. Fresh commercial.


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posted by Michael Tavani @ 10:48 PM | |

Are the $14.99 Starbury shoes the next big fashion trend?
Thursday, March 29, 2007

The beginnings of fashion and pop culture trends always intrigue me. LiveStrong bracelets, iPods, Lacoste shirts are recent examples. Influencers usually begin the movement and others catch on quickly for an almost contagious-like movement.

Steve & Barry's + Stephon Marbury = Starbury Shoes
In August of 2006, I wrote that discount athletics clothing retailer Steve & Barry's (which in itself is a brand spreading like crazy) in collaboration with New York Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury, created the Starbury shoes. At the time, the company claimed that the shoes were just as well made as the most expensive basketball shoes (ie Nike, adidas) but at a absolute fraction of the price - $14.98.

Too cheap to be any good
Everyone, including myself, was skeptical that such a cheap shoe could actually be any good. Marbury was so confident that he pledged to wear the shoes in his NBA games. At the time, I was picturing his shoes coming apart mid game. I could just see a multi-million dollar NBA player with duck tape holding his shoes together. That would be old school.

Sales taking off
It turns out that the retailer can't keep the shoes on the shelf. SportsBiz reports that Steve & Barry's sold out a couple of months of shoes in three days and has sold at least 3 million pairs, mostly by word of mouth. And by all reports, the original Starburys have held up well, performing just as well as their high priced competitors.

First endorser signs on
Adding even more credibility to the apparel line, Bulls star Ben Wallace will become the company's first endorser (outside Marbury himself). The Wallace signature shoe will debut next season, but he will begin wearing the second generation Starbury shoes, Starbury II, when they launch on April 1. The Starbury II's will remain just $14.98. Amazing.

I'm definitely picking up a pair at a local Steve & Barry's.

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posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:26 PM | |

Adidas vs. Nike
Saturday, February 03, 2007

Adidas and Nike battle eachother out in most sports, but the rivalry between their endorsed basketball athletes is a great matchup. First off, here's the Nike squad. And the Adidas squad is below.

Here's the lineups:

Adidas
Chancey Billups
Gilbert Arenas
Tracy McGrady
Kevin Garnett
Tim Duncan

Nike (best of all their sponsored players)
Steve Nash
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James
Amare Stoudemire
Jermaine O'Neal

I agree with the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen's breakdown of the matchup.
For Adidas, you've got the It Takes Five five -- Chauncey Billups, Gilbert Arenas, Tracy McGrady, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan.

For Nike, you have to choose five from the guys walking around the airport tarmac. We'll go with Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Jermaine O'Neal and Amare Stoudemire.

Tough call. Nash is incomparable, but on a team like this, Billups' catch-and-shoot talent makes him close. Kobe gets the edge on anyone, but Arenas is right there. Frontcourt, however goes to Adidas.

So who wins? If you have to double Duncan, McGrady or Garnett, those backcourt shooters will kill you.

So I'll go with Adidas based on the one thing that doesn't show up in either commercial -- passing.

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posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:47 PM | |

25 years of Nike's Air Force
Sunday, January 28, 2007

Nike's been running a pretty solid ad campaign around the "second coming" of their Air Force basketball line. To me, the best Nike ad campaigns are the ones that feature a look into their rich athletic history - and this does. The spots feature old timers like Jamaal Wilkes, Moses Malone and Charles Barkley and "the second coming" guys like Steve Nash, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, and Rasheed Wallace. Check out the official Nike Air Force site (click on the "25 years of Force" and the "Second Coming" buttons on the bottom left). Also check out the Air Force desktop background.

My only knock on Nike is that they divide up their various brands too much in ads - making it seem to the average person that Brand Jordan's Carmelo Anthony is sponsored by a different company as Air Force's Shawn Marion even though they're both techinically Nike guys.


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posted by Michael Tavani @ 8:21 PM | |

GPS-enabled running shoes
Wednesday, January 17, 2007

The Quantum Satellite Technology (QST) shoe by Isaac Daniel is a GPS-ebnabled running shoe. Pretty frickn' amazing. These kicks were announced in November, and are available now, retailing for about $350, including a charger. The shoe has a built in GPS receiver that at the press of a button, alerts people to your whereabouts. Bond, James Bond.

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posted by Michael Tavani @ 6:32 PM | |

Nike Evolution video
Friday, January 05, 2007

This video is frickin' awesome. Like all of the best Nike commercials it was the idea of famed advertising firm, Wieden + Kennedy. Read the backstory on the ad here. Did you know Huarache is named after the Hispanic name for a sandal used in South America?


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posted by Michael Tavani @ 3:12 PM | |

Basketball shoes for $14.98
Monday, August 14, 2006

Fed up with the high prices urban kids pay for sneakers marketed by their basketball heroes, New York Knicks point guard Stephon Marbury is launcing the Starbury One, a $14.98 sneaker he'll wear on the court this season. Discount retailer Steve & Barry's will make and sell the shoe, which is 1/12 the price of Nike's $180 Air Jordan XXI. "Two hundred to buy a pair of sneakers," Marbury says, "that's groceries for the week."

You gotta give Marbury credit for giving kids this option. The shoes are actually not bad looking either. Hopefully, this will drive the price of other sneakers down, because they've gotten out of control. Also, the nickname "Starbury" is one of the best in sports.

> Starbury site

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posted by Michael Tavani @ 12:18 AM | |



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