BOWLING GREEN, KY (June 8, 2016) – Spalding announced today the premiere of “Without a Doubt,” a long-form documentary that portrays the gripping stories of NBA Draft hopefuls Kris Dunn, Tyler Ulis and Buddy Hield, highlighting the distances they traveled and the obstacles they overcame as they await the results of the NBA Draft 2016 presented by State Farm on June 23.
Produced in partnership with SLAM, “Without a Doubt” is part two of Spalding’s #TrueBelievers campaign, which launched in February to begin a movement around people and players who have the uncompromising confidence needed to defy all odds and succeed. The documentary will premiere at a June 20 screening in New York City and will be available for viewing on theTrueBelievers.Spalding.comcontent hub, Spalding social channels and SLAM media channels.
In addition to appearing in ”Without a Doubt,” the potential draftees will appear in a trailer that will be released on June 8 as well as their own short-form videos that will be released one per week in June leading up to the NBA Draft 2016 presented by State Farm.
“Our True Believers campaign is designed to generate a conversation among millennial athletes and fans on and off the court as well as shine a light on those that put in the work that enables athletes to play their best game” said Kenyatta Bynoe, VP of Marketing at Spalding. “Since the campaign launched earlier this year we have experienced a marked increase in social engagement and share of voice through our omni-channel approach.”
"SLAM has been a great partner for the #TrueBelievers campaign," said Kirsten Atkinson, VP, Media & Brand Integration at Walton Isaacson. "They fully understand our non-traditional approach to media and the goal of the documentary - to authentically and emotionally connect Spalding with millennial fans through storytelling."
To further support #TrueBelievers in their athletic training pursuits, Spalding is launching Spalding Basketball IQ™, a program thatprovides players of all skill levels with unique training content and experiences, including interactive training videos and exclusive clinics led by elite athletes and trainers. The clinics will be held in partnership with D1 Sports Training across three cities – Winston-Salem, Denver and Los Angeles – and are designed to deliver both a training and lifestyle/life skills experience. Each camp will also feature a professional athlete including Chris Paul (Winston-Salem), Chauncey Billups (Denver) and DeMar DeRozan (Los Angeles). Participation is by invitation only.
In July, Spalding will begin a consumer promotion to aggregate content on the TrueBelievers.Spalding.com content hub by encouraging consumers to share photos to Instagram and Twitter for a chance to win monthly prizes such as autographed merchandise and NBA game tickets.
Follow @spaldingball on Instagram to join the movement. Join the conversation by following @spalding on Twitter, and tune in to YouTube.com/Spalding to see what #TrueBelievers are all about. Explore the world of #TrueBelievers and see them in action at TrueBelievers.Spalding.com.
About Spalding
Spalding is the largest basketball equipment supplier in the world, and America's first baseball company. Spalding is the official basketball of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), the official backboard of the NBA and NCAA, the official baseball of the Little League World Series® and the official volleyball of the King of the Beach® Volleyball Tour. In addition to being the leading producer and marketer of basketballs, footballs, volleyballs and soccer balls, Spalding produces softballs under the Dudley® brand. The SPALDING® and DUDLEY® trademarks are owned by Russell Brands, LLC. For more information, visit www.spalding.com.
About Walton Isaacson
Founded in 2005 by marketing innovators Aaron Walton, Cory Isaacson and partner Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Walton Isaacson (WI) provides strategic and creative solutions to some of the world's largest and most aggressive brand marketers. This innovative agency model marries award-winning, full-service advertising, digital and social capabilities across multiple disciplines, providing value and efficiency to partners. WI's marketing specializations include Sports, Lifestyle, Entertainment, Experiential and Branded Content, as well as cultural expertise across General Market, Black, Hispanic and LGBT consumer segments. WI is headquartered in Chicago and Los Angeles, with additional offices in New York and Miami. For more information on Walton Isaacson, please visit www.waltonisaacson.com.
