LeBron James' "Chamber of Fear" commercial

[sOKaLiBoY]

CLEVELAND (AP) -- LeBron James will go into the NBA with a swoosh after agreeing to a deal with Nike worth more than $90 million, The Associated Press learned Thursday.

James, the high school star expected to be the No. 1 pick in next month's draft, agreed to terms on the largest shoe endorsement deal ever, choosing Nike over Adidas and Reebok.

James was expected to sign the contract Thursday morning. A source who spoke on condition of anonymity told the AP the deal was worth more than $90 million.

Nike spokesman Mark Shapiro confirmed that an agreement had been reached with James. ESPN.com, citing unidentified sources, said it was a seven-year deal.

James' publicist, Alexandria Boone, would not confirm the deal but said a formal announcement would be made Thursday.

Recent published reports predicted that the 18-year-old from Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary High School star might get a $100 million deal, which would be unprecedented in the history of sneaker endorsements.

When Michael Jordan signed his first contract with Nike in 1984, it was for $2.5 million over five years.

James also signed an exclusive multiyear contract with Upper Deck trading cards Wednesday.

His selection of Nike ends a nearly two-year battle between the shoe companies to land the dynamic player, whose game has been compared to that of Jordan and Magic Johnson.

James has received unprecedented media coverage the past two years. His games were sellouts in arenas around the country, and two of his games were televised nationally by ESPN.

The shoe deal came less than a day before James was to learn where he'll be wearing his Nikes as a pro. The NBA will hold its draft lottery Thursday night, and the winner gets the right to select James, a three-time Mr. Ohio in Basketball and the consensus national player of the year the past two years.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets, who finished tied for the league's worst record this season, have the best chance at getting the top pick.

Terms of the deal with Upper Deck were not immediately available, but company spokesman Jake Gonzales said James' contract is on a level with previous agreements signed by Jordan, Tiger Woods and soccer star David Beckham.

Boone said the trading card deal included a $1 million signing bonus.

"Every kid who plays sports aspires to be the best and be part of a winning team," James said in a statement. "Today's deal with Upper Deck not only means that I've joined a team that is the leader in the collectibles industry, but also allows me to be part of a team of world class athletes representing their products."

Gonzales said James is the youngest person ever signed by Upper Deck, whose other spokesmen include Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui.

Upper Deck said James' trading card and memorabilia agreement prohibits any other company from using his autograph or his likeness on its packaging. It also stipulates that James can only promote for Upper Deck.

"Upper Deck is known for producing the most collectible and innovative trading cards and memorabilia in the world," vice president Tim Muret said in a statement. "It is fitting that LeBron James and Upper Deck join forces in an exclusive relationship that will bring exciting products to fans and collectors worldwide."

James' first trading card will be available July 29, the company said.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketbal...eck_ap/?cnn=yes

[lethal]

The Cleveland Cavaliers won the lottery. He's gonna play at home!

[VV o n g B a]

here is the ad campaign
http://www.nike.com/nikebasketball/u...ll_global_home

here is what the words mean
http://www.hanzismatter.com/2004_11_07_archive.html

and here's how much the chinese officials liked it
------------------

China has banned a "blasphemous" Nike advert in which a US basketball star defeats a cartoon kung-fu master, saying it offends national dignity.

The ad shows LeBron James battling the martial arts expert and a pair of dragons, in a video game-style setting.

The media regulator said it breached rules on upholding "national dignity" and failed to respect China's culture.

The Communist government has been sensitive about the use of Chinese cultural symbols by the West.

The ad, called Chamber of Fear starring the NBA's James, was broadcast on Chinese television before being pulled last month, the Associated Press news agency reported.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4072203.stm

[TB4000]

Originally Posted by VV o n g B a

here is the ad campaign
http://www.nike.com/nikebasketball/u...ll_global_home

here is what the words mean
http://www.hanzismatter.com/2004_11_07_archive.html

and here's how much the chinese officials liked it
------------------

China has banned a "blasphemous" Nike advert in which a US basketball star defeats a cartoon kung-fu master, saying it offends national dignity.

The ad shows LeBron James battling the martial arts expert and a pair of dragons, in a video game-style setting.

The media regulator said it breached rules on upholding "national dignity" and failed to respect China's culture.

The Communist government has been sensitive about the use of Chinese cultural symbols by the West.

The ad, called Chamber of Fear starring the NBA's James, was broadcast on Chinese television before being pulled last month, the Associated Press news agency reported.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4072203.stm

I think they've missed QUITE a bit of these types of commericals if this is the first thing they're boycotting over here.

[deez nuts]

so when's the wu tang clan gonna do their reunion tour in china.

[VV o n g B a]

i especially like the the label "blasphemous." up until now i thought u could only blaspheme against god or something. i was wrong.

[SunWuKong]

for once, good for the Chinese government on censoring something.
ok, fine, censorship is still bad, but that commercial was shit.

[kurei kun]

personally, lebron has exceeded my expectations (which is surprising). he deserves most of (maybe all) of that money.

[etcj]

Originally Posted by SunWuKong

for once, good for the Chinese government on censoring something.
ok, fine, censorship is still bad, but that commercial was shit.

Hmm...I guess I wasn't the only one who felt that it was a crappy commercial. It only seems like it was a spoof ad created by Dave Chappelle or something. When black people want to idolize Chinese culture/entertainment, I guess you can only stand aside and watch the cooptation. When you beat on a 70yo Chinese man with a wispy white beard, then you better be ready for some protest by the most populous country in the world.

When will crazy execs stop trying to create multicultrualism when there really is none in this world?

[kpih]

China Bans Nike Television Commercial

AUDRA ANG

Associated Press


BEIJING - China has banned a Nike television commercial showing U.S. basketball star LeBron James in a battle with an animated cartoon kung fu master, saying the ad insults Chinese national dignity.

The commercial, titled "Chamber of Fear," was broadcast on local Chinese stations and on state television's national sports channel before being pulled last month. It shows James in a video game-style setting defeating the kung fu master, two women in traditional Chinese attire and a pair of dragons, considered a sacred symbol in traditional Chinese culture.

The advertisement "violates regulations that mandate that all advertisements in China should uphold national dignity and interest and respect the motherland's culture," the State Administration for Radio, Film and Television said on a statement posted Monday on its Web site.

"It also goes against rules that require ads not to contain content that blasphemes national practices and cultures."

The statement added: "The ad has received an indignant response from Chinese viewers."

It did not say why the advertisement was considered offensive. But communist officials are sensitive about the use of Chinese cultural symbols by Westerners, and might have been especially angered that the Nike advertisement showed the foreigner winning the fight.

Maurice Zhou, a spokesman in Shanghai for Beaverton, Oregon-based Nike Inc. said the company had no response except to say that it "respected the government's decision."

"We respect and follow the Chinese government's laws and regulations," Zhou said. He said he could not elaborate.

The Chinese television regulator tightened controls over programming in May by prohibiting the use of English words and imported programs that promote "Western ideology and politics."

Earlier this year, the government banned a Norwegian-made computer game involving a spy chasing military secrets on similar grounds that it hurt China's image, national dignity and interests.

The game included references to illegal computer technology, China, Russia, Libya and illicit weapons development.

The Nike advertisement is part of fast-growing foreign efforts to cash in on the huge popularity of basketball in China and the celebrity of James and other NBA players.

James is a forward for the Cleveland Cavaliers and one of the NBA's best all-around players. He ranks third in the league in scoring and last week was named the Eastern Conference player of the month.

In an unrelated case, a Chinese cartoonist is suing Nike, claiming that a stick figure in one of its worldwide advertising campaigns was copied from his work.

Zhu Zhiqiang filed suit in July, asking for 2 million yuan (US$240,000; euro177,000) in compensation and a public apology, according to state media. Nike rejected Zhu's claims, saying its figure was completely different from his.

[sandra]

props to China. now if only they would support similar campaigns by overseas Chinese.

[SunWuKong]

Originally Posted by kasia

props to China. now if only they would support similar campaigns by overseas Chinese.

they're interested in what we think of China and what we do in China. note that the Chinese government is only banning the commercial in China. they don't concern themselves too much with domestic issues in the US, if that's what you're referring to. and justifiably so because it's really none of their business.

anyway, threads have been merged.

[sandra]

Originally Posted by SunWuKong

they're interested in what we think of China and what we do in China. note that the Chinese government is only banning the commercial in China. they don't concern themselves too much with domestic issues in the US, if that's what you're referring to. and justifiably so because it's really none of their business.

anyway, threads have been merged.

i don't have much information to back up what i'm about to say - but i've been told by different sources that the japanese and korean government care much more about their overseas people than china. i don't think you can just make a unequivocal declaration that it's none of their business.

[SunWuKong]

Originally Posted by kasia

i don't have much information to back up what i'm about to say - but i've been told by different sources that the japanese and korean government care much more about their overseas people than china. i don't think you can just make a unequivocal declaration that it's none of their business.

well, sure, my statement was not scientific or anything. i think the Chinese government was pretty concerned about the massacre of Indonesian Chinese several years ago. and the Committee of 100 has met with groups and important figures in China before. (however, i think interest on the part of the Chinese government may be business-related - Chinese in Southeast Asia invests a lot of money in China, and the Committee of 100 is made up of some very influential people.)

anyway, my point was that you can't compare the ban on the Lebron commercial to Chinese government's interest to Chinese American concerns regarding what's going on in the US. the commercial was being aired in China and that's where it's been banned. it was an issue of domestic concern for the Chinese government.

another issue is that the US government regularly sticks its nose into other people's business, and countries like China hates that. that's precisely why the Chinese government is generally quiet on the Palestinian issue, because a parallel can be drawn with the Tibet issue and the Taiwan issue. the Chinese government doesn't criticise the US government much on issues that have nothing to do with China precisely because they want the US government off its back. recently they've started publishing a yearly report of human rights abuses by the US government, only to "get back" at the US government for continually publishing a yearly report of human rights abuses by the Chinese government.

[nitro]

I've posted the full video at:
http://www.asianmediawatch.net/nike/

... easier to find than searching through Nike's "Chamber of Fear."

*The video is 6.5 MB and requires Macromedia Flash Player:
http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer

Can someone explain to this ABC what the symbolism traditionally represents in Chinese culture e.g. the dragons, the women who look like goddesses, etc.?

Kai
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