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Sports giant Nike is welcoming the "Year of the Mamba" with a new spot that show the many ways athletes channel their inner Kobe.
The commercial "Have a Hard Year" is exactly what its title suggests — a call for all hardworking athletes to choose the "hard, uncomfortable path in the year ahead" and endure the pains that come with the ambition for greatness.
It aims to instill the "Mamba Mentality" that the late NBA legend Kobe Bryant was known for, which eventually became a rich cultural symbol with regards to the Lunar Year and the Year of the Snake.
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Apart from the spot, Nike is extending its celebrations by introducing a new line of apparel and footwear inspired by the Black Mamba himself.
Most notably, this collection includes the new Kobe 5 Protro “Year of Mamba,” which boasts a forefoot Zoom Air unit and Protro midfoot foam.
"This collection is an introduction to the Year of the Mamba — and, for our younger athletes, a deeper education on Mamba Mentality and the tenacity Kobe brought to the game,” Kobe Footwear Product Line Manager Bronson Yim said in a statement.
Yim continued, saying that with the capsule, Nike isn't saying "have a good year," but instead challenges athletes to have a tough one and prove to themselves that they can channel the Mamba Mentality needed to become the best.
The latest work from Nike not only upholds the legacy of the beloved NBA Hall of Famer, but also serves as a great reminder of Nike's brand identity, and why it remains one of the biggest sports giants to this day.
The Kobe Within
The 90-second spot starts off with a man shoveling snow off a basketball court on New Year's eve.
As fireworks go off behind him, he begins to shoot some hoops.
"Kobe!" he shouts, before taking a shot.
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A montage of different athletes are then seen training in their respective sports, saying Kobe's name under their breath.
We see a woman performing push-ups while her family has dinner, a young girl channeling the Mamba Mentality before she faces off against a boy-dominated football team, and a man cracking his fingers back in place after dislocating them in-game.
Amid all the hardships of these athletes, they all call on the same name: Kobe.
"This isn't the Year of the Snake. It's the Year of the Mamba," the commercial writes, as the spot ends.
Previously, Nike revisited the origin story of one of its most iconic sneakers in a short animated spot.
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