You’ve heard about a basketball player taking another “to school,” meaning he or she has convincingly outperformed his or her opponent on the court. Well now literally being taken to school–albeit elementary school–is Ruth Riley, star center for the WNBA’s Detroit Shock women’s professional basketball team.
We see Riley get off a yellow school bus. First she’s on the public address system announcing the cafeteria’s menu to the student body. Next, she in a classroom diagramming basketball plays–including a pick ‘n roll off of a double screen–on an overhead projector.
Seated at a small desk along with her new pint-sized playmates, the six-foot-five Riley is handed a note asking “Do you like me?” with “no” and “yes” boxes–each waiting for a check mark. We then see her using a hand-crank pencil sharpener.
Next we’re in arts class, with Riley constructing a mini-replica of the 2003 WNBA championship trophy. Meanwhile a little boy has built a miniature penguin.
From the classroom, we’re taken to the gymnasium, where Riley is blocking shot after shot being put up by her height-deprived classmates. Then it’s high fives all the way around, with Riley congratulating each of her fellow students.
The camera shows us a basketball on which the message, “It’s personal,” is written. Next we see a Detroit Shock logo on a basketball and then contact information for buying tickets to the team’s home games. At that point, we hear a child say to Riley, “You’re not really in the fifth grade.”
The spot was directed by Paul Riccio of Public Domain, New York, for agency Olson & Company, Minneapolis.
Steve Shore executive produced for Public Domain, with Alicia Valdez serving as line producer. The DP was Ari Issler.
The agency creative team consisted of creative director Tom Fugleberg, art director Derek Till, copywriter Scott Dahl and producer Joel Dodson.
Editor was Pete Fritz of Ohio Edit, New York. Audio mixer/sound designer was Conrad Sanguineti of Phantom Audio, New York.