Back in 2004, adidas’ “Carry” showed NBA superstar Kevin Garnett taking the weight of the world on his broad shoulders. Conceived by TBWA/Chiat/Day, San Francisco, “Carry” earned widespread acclaim and was one of the spots that helped Noam Murro of Los Angeles-based Biscuit Filmworks earn the DGA Award last year as best commercial director of 2004.
Now in “What’s Inside,” another Murro-helmed commercial for TBWA/Chiat/Day–and 180 TBWA, Amsterdam–Garnett shows his versatility in a return engagement for adidas, which finds him in different roles acted out on different stages. For example, we see him as an infantry squadron leader in the midst of battle; the scene plays out like a realistic video game on what appears to be a stage. Next he’s seen rescuing a woman in a burning building. He swings through the air ala Spider Man, using a taut cable instead of sticky web strands, and catches the woman who’s in a freefall from a collapsed balcony. He carries her to the safety of a nearby rooftop, uttering a reassuring, caring “I’ve got you.”
We then see a youngster, presumably Garnett, looking about as if imagining what his future holds. What we’ve seen thus far is his imagination at work, envisioning what he could become when he grows up. The dreaming of what might be continues as we again see the adult Garnett, this time as a gladiator in the center of a coliseum. He strikes a victorious pose after battling two other warriors.
Later Garnett is on stage as a stand-up comedian, getting laughs from the audience. And finally we see him on the stage on which were accustomed to enjoying his exploits, a basketball court. A shot of his foot apparel, a pair of his signature adidas sneakers, shows us what’s supporting him in this dream. And as we all know, this last dream–NBA stardom–became a reality. The spot ends with the now well-known slogan, “Impossible Is Nothing,” accompanied by the adidas logo.