James Harden and JuJu Smith-Schuster are ambassadors for Kobe Bryant‘s skincare line, Art of Sport, but in order to get fans to buy the products, Art of Sport released two national commercials that feature Harden and Smith-Schuster. Harden, the All-Star guard for the Houston Rockets, plays the role of “Dr. James Beard Harden” and discusses the history of athlete skincare while giving fans a tour of his museum. Here’s a look at Harden’s commercial.
Smith-Schuster, wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a professor in his commercial and he reveals that he has “spent more time than anyone studying athletes and their skincare.” Here’s a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver’s commercial.
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Art of Sport was co-founded by Bryant who died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26. The company launched in 2018 and it sells products such as deodorant, soap and sunscreen, which is marketed to athletes. Along with Harden and Smith-Schuster, Art of Sport was able to recruit other athletes such as Javier Baez of the Chicago Cubs and pro surfer Sage Erickson.
“When I played, I had a day job,” the late Los Angeles Lakers legend said to Sports Illustrated back in 2018. “In between games, I’d write and think and create stories, some of which were brand-related. Storytelling has always been a central part of my life. With AOS, the exciting part has been deciding how we use our messaging to connect with athletes across the world.
“We’re speaking to the athlete through our communication and we’re connecting to the spirit of the game. The important thing in building a brand for athletes is making sure the messaging and the story touches on the emotional components and the spirit associated with a great soccer match or basketball game. The product shouldn’t only benefit you from a physical standpoint, there should be an emotional and inspirational benefit too.”
Art of Sport can be found at Target’s 1,900 locations in the US. According to Ad Age, the commercials were produced and created internally.
“As a sports brand, we have a really cool opportunity,” Matthias Metternich, chief executive and co-founder, said, also noting that even if consumers are watching Netflix, they still have to watch TV if they want to watch live sports. “We’re a digital-first business and we understand TV is one part of the experience.”
Harden is an eight-time NBA All-Star who won the MVP award in 2018. Smith-Schuster was named to his first Pro Bowl in 2018 after recording 1,426 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.
