ADIDAS x espn
'top ten hi 1979'
Imagine the thrill of owning a pair of time-bending sneakers that celebrate the genesis of two sports icons: ESPN SportsCenter’s Top Ten and adidas’ Top Ten basketball shoe. Well, imagine no longer. Introducing the adidas Top Ten Hi ESPN 1979.
To stand out amongst the shuffle of sneaker drops and reveal such a momentous collaboration we created the mother of all shoeboxes. Inside, the special sneakers sit on the original SportsCenter studio set – just waiting to be plucked from the flickering screen into 2021. Open the box and “DaDaDa! DaDaDa!” the iconic ESPN SportsCenter Top Ten soundtrack transports you back in time – albeit with added sax.
The shoes take heavy influence from the original first episode with cream faux snakeskin and gold lace charms for extra 1979-inspired flex. An aged user manual accompanies the shoes and slides with further insight to the story of the two brands, the top ten features of the shoe and of course caution on the dangers of time travel. We’re not kidding. The first to receive the TV set? None other than unboxing king Jacques Slade who experienced firsthand the power of the new drop. As documented in his unboxing video, he miraculously finds himself transported back in time to the original ESPN SportsCenter desk to deliver his official review of the collab.
To accompany the drop we created a retro futuristic Top Ten for the new sneaker. An intergalactic journey through the shoe’s story and design. All delivered in typical Top Ten fashion with sportscaster swag announcing the sneaker is now available in all good sneaker stores and something called the internet?
This campaign won a Bronze at Sports Clio Awards and was finalist in the One Show, Art Director's Club and New York Festivals Advertising Awards.
Credits: Exec Producer: Chris Buda / Designer: Katie Gwynn-Sackson / Copywriter: Patrick McPherson