In January 2025, Reebok announced its first performance basketball shoe, the Engine A, in over a decade. The company, once a major player in 1990s and 2000s basketball culture, still considers itself midway through a full return to the sport.
Now the shoe brand has launched a new campaign, “We Rise,” as part of that homecoming.
“We are still in an infancy of sorts with our return to the game but feel like we’ve found our footing. ‘We Rise’ is a message of us taking form,” Jide Osifeso, head of basketball at Reebok, told ADWEEK.
A new ad shot in black-and-white features Reebok’s roster of talent on Team RBK.B, including NBA rookies Darius Acuff Jr. and Nate Ament and WNBA rookie Lauren Betts. A voiceover provided by rapper Tobe Nwigwe plays over slow-motion basketball footage.
“We Rise” builds on Reebok’s previous campaign, “Comm. One,” which launched in March with a cinematic spot also narrated by Nwigwe.
“Comm. One starts out with the words ‘we rise,’ which felt like setting an intention,” Osifeso said. “We are now actually in motion.”
The spot will launch on social before expanding to paid media, out-of-home, and social-first content.
Building a roster full of potential
In the ‘90s, Reebok signed future superstars Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson as rookies. Today, the company is running the same playbook.
Acuff Jr. (Sacramento Kings) and Ament (Milwaukee Bucks) haven’t played a regular season NBA game. Buzelis (Chicago Bulls) has two years in the league, while Yessoufou is still at St. John’s. Their youth and potential are the point.
“They still have a lot to prove, they’re taking risks, and they’re giving it their all,” Osifeso said. “We’re in the exact same boat as a company. The adjacency of our business and their careers is a fun and interesting exploration.”
Reebok doesn’t use scouts or analytics to pick its players. Instead, Osifeso and his team pick players as personal fans, building relationships that start as early as high school.
“Seeing them flourish and reach the pro ranks has been special to watch,” Osifeso said “I’m always going to champion showcasing a commitment to homegrown talent and the importance they hold in Reebok Basketball’s new era.”
