LibraryNowOriginsOddsMechanicsMCP

Kinds

Campaign380Product91Food & drink27App & software56Film24Series24Music60Game115Book22Creator moment54Meme & format109Trend & aesthetic38Activity58Moment89
PricingPrivacyTermsRefundsPress
Library/Campaign/Nike: The Conductor
Grade B32 sourcesHIS-00315

Nike: The Conductor

Campaign · 2016 · Notable

45Editable slideCertificate

Nike’s retirement ad for Kobe Bryant drew 641,359 shares in Unruly’s vendor tally.

Original · re-upload by NBA Highlights
Kobe Bryant conducted rivals and fans singing an Otis Redding ballad rewritten as a farewell about hate.
NBA Highlights on YouTube
Kobe Bryant stood under arena lights in The Conductor, an official production still.
Nike / Anonymous Content
Nike | The Conductor
The One Club for Creativity
The most iconic advertisements in NBA history
Sports Illustrated
Nike + Soulful Music = A Perfect Combination
Daryl Bailey / LinkedIn
Don’t stop hating Kobe Bryant
Minnesota Public Radio News
New Kobe Bryant Nike Ad Features an Otis Redding Song
soulhead
Viral van de week: Afscheid van een legendarische basketballer
Adformatie
The second set of D&AD Pencil winners have been announced, with an additional 10 South African entries making the grade in the final categories.
Bizcommunity

Spread Score

How it works
Reach46Contagion45Breadth20Velocity100Longevity1945

Numbers

YouTube seed only; ten largest derivatives unavailable
7M
As of Aug 25, 2016 · YouTube · Sports Illustrated
Peak date
Week of Apr 17, 2016
Apr 13 ’16 to Week of Apr 17, 2016
Platforms
4
Started on YouTube
Origin
Mixed
Sports

Mechanics

  • TransgressionPrimary
  • Newsjacking
  • Pairing
  • Platform jump
  • Press loop

How it spread

Trace the origin

Nike released The Conductor before Kobe Bryant’s final game, then placed it on TV and in the arena. Sports and music outlets shared it. Unruly’s vendor tally later put it twelfth among the year’s most-shared ads, with 641,359 shares.

Dates use the stated precision; chart positions are date anchors.

Google searchesMar ’16AprMayJulSepNovJan ’17MarMayPeakOpen webYouTubePressTV
Open webYouTubePressTV

13 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

Timeline (16)

  1. April 2016

    Nike / Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai precursor · Apr 7 ’16

    Nike launched a separate love-and-hate farewell film in China before The Conductor.[1][2]

    Kobe Bryant conducted rivals and fans singing an Otis Redding ballad rewritten as a farewell about hate.
    Open the first post ↗

  2. Nike Basketball seed · Apr 13 ’16

    Nike released The Conductor online before Bryant’s final game.[2][3][4]

  3. CBS Sports press · Apr 13 ’16

    CBS Sports covered the ad before Bryant’s final game.[3]

Changelogupdated Oct 12 ’26
  1. 2026-10-12Added: 15 events, 18 sources · Score 45
Origin
Mixed
Sector
Sports
Region
US
YouTube seed only; ten largest derivatives unavailable
7M
As of Aug 25, 2016 · YouTube · Sports Illustrated
Evidence
Grade B

Spread the same way

McDonald's France: Olympic Curry

Instagram · 2024

66
McDonald's France on Instagram: "Pour 4 ans minimum."

2.5B impressions

Apple Three Minutes

YouTube · 2018

58
An iPhone X-shot film about a train attendant’s brief Chinese New Year reunion with her son.

40M views

MGA Presents: Diss-mas

YouTube · 2024

48
MGA PRESENTS: The Rizzler - DISS-MAS 🎁

545.7M impressions

Dove Men+Care: First Fatherhood Moments

YouTube · 2015

36
Father’s Day for dads to be | Dove Men+Care

6.5M views

New cases, every week

How the next thing spread, the week it does.

See every timeline

Free account, every case's full spread.

Join free
Log inJoin free
Google searchesMar ’16AprMayJulSepNovJan ’17MarMayPeakOpen webYouTubePressTV
Open webYouTubePressTV

13 more events on this chart

Join free to see them

  1. April 2016

    Nike / Wieden+Kennedy Shanghai precursor · Apr 7 ’16

    Nike launched a separate love-and-hate farewell film in China before The Conductor.[1][2]

    Kobe Bryant conducted rivals and fans singing an Otis Redding ballad rewritten as a farewell about hate.
    Open the first post ↗

  2. Nike Basketball seed · Apr 13 ’16

    Nike released The Conductor online before Bryant’s final game.[2][3][4]

  3. CBS Sports press · Apr 13 ’16

    CBS Sports covered the ad before Bryant’s final game.[3]

  1. press · Apr 13 ’16

  2. platform jump · Apr 13 ’16

Join free to see the other 13 events and the full chart. Free, on every case.

Join free

Why it worked

Do this

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3

Pro opens the playbook, all 6 sourced numbers and 32 sources. Start with a free account.

Join freeGo Pro