Attitude Only a True Fan Would Understand

Advertiser: ESPN2

Agency: Ground Zero, Santa Monica

Challenge: Promote ESPN2’s college basketball programming in a style that upholds the cable channel’s cultish image.

The Ads: A series of 12 TV ads revolves around Naismith House, a sanitarium for obsessed college basketball fans, named after the inventor of basketball. The spots, filled with inside jokes, follow the activities of six sports fanatics, who show no signs of recovery. In one spot, Naismith House residents steal Kentucky Guy’s Coach Rick Pitino doll, throwing him into a tizzy. He can’t get over Pitino’s move to coach the Boston Celtics. In another spot, Indiana Guy--folding chair slung over a shoulder as a reminder of Coach Bobby Knight--initiates a shouting match with a resident dressed as a referee. Each spot ends with a soothing female voice-over: “Welcome to Naismith House.”

Comment: Programming is only part of what distinguishes ESPN2. The other important ingredient is attitude. These TV spots are loaded with inside jokes and references only sports fans would understand--enhancing ESPN’s image as the TV brand for people in the know. ESPN’s agency said the teams approved the parodies in the ads.

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