Nike and NOCTA's Second KD19 Film Puts Drake in a Wooden Crate

The follow-up to Nike and NOCTA's first KD19 campaign film arrives with Drake crammed inside a shipping crate.

Just Like Candy, the second spot in the KD19 campaign, reunites NBA star Kevin Durant and the Toronto-based rapper.

Here, they go about another comedic bit built around the NOCTA x Nike KD 19 sneaker, nicknamed "The Candies."

It picks up where the first film, "Yes Man," left off with the same stars, the same sneaker, and the same deadpan dynamic that made the original a hit among fans.

Post production was completed by No Sushi, the digital post production house founded by director Daps and producer Alexander Jamieson.

Director X helmed the film, with M ss ng P eces and Creative Rain handling production.

"The fun of this one was taking the viewer on a journey of anticipation for the big reveal," said editor Deji LaRay.

"You wait with KD, confused by the large crate delivery, and can't help but cackle when Drake is revealed with the special delivery."

For No Sushi, the film is a continuation of what the company was built to do, which is to bring film and television-level post craft into advertising.

"Just Like Candy is a great example of why we built No Sushi," said Alexander Jamieson, co-founder and COO.

"The craft is invisible when it is working, but the entire film depends on rhythm, tone, sound, colour and restraint."

The brand's willingness to let Drake and KD's personality shine instead of solely focusing on the shoes is a big aspect of why this campaign lands.

And while the two play exaggerated versions of themselves, the humor holds because neither one oversells it.

Drake Arrives, Slightly Disheveled

The film is shot almost like a sitcom, resembling the comedic beats and style of "The Office."

It opens with Durant in his Houston home, waiting on a delivery he missed the previous day.

What he expects to be a shoebox arrives instead as a massive wooden art crate, wheeled in with a weight typically reserved for fine art.

When the crate opens, Drake steps out fully dressed in Nike and a little worn from the journey.

He then presents the KD19 Candies.

Durant, as expected, stays completely flat.

"These are fire though," he says, closing the spot. 

"The timing had to stay patient enough for the absurdity to grow, but sharp enough that the joke keeps moving," LaRay said.

Colourist Chadwick B. Williams, whose recent credits include The Last of Us, The Boys, and Star Trek: Picard, gave the home setting a clean cinematic look.

Two-time Emmy-winning sound designer Jonathan Fuhrer built the atmosphere around the delivery and the reveal without crowding the comedy.

The Art of Comedic Timing

No Sushi was founded on the idea that advertising deserves the same post-production rigor as prestige television.

The company's roster carries credits from The Bear, Severance, The White Lotus, and The Last of Us.

Ultimately, what No Sushi brought to this KD19 spot is what separates a good comedy bit from one that converts:

• Timing is a craft decision, not an accident: A joke that sits one beat too long dies on screen regardless of how good the talent is.
• Sound design does emotional work the camera can't: The weight of the crate and the silence before Durant's line delivery are constructed moments that can make a scene land.
• Color sets the world the story lives in: A grade that feels off pulls viewers out of the scene before the punchline arrives.

Overall, the brands investing in premium video and post-production agencies see the worth in the invisible work that makes audiences stay.