The late, great Kobe Bryant was famous for his work ethic, and his commitment to improving every element of his game inspired athletes around the world, on and off the court. This relentless drive for improvement is celebrated in a new Nike film commemorating Mamba Mentality, “Better.”
Narrated by Kendrick Lamar, “Better” celebrates the universal relevance of progress and highlights Kobe’s prolific desire for improvement. The Mamba Mentality is about getting better, every day, in everything we do. In his own words, Kobe described his Mamba Mentality by saying, “It’s to constantly try to be the best version of yourself. It’s a constant quest to try to be better today than you were yesterday.” While incremental change may feel small in the short term, those subtle shifts culminate to greater progress over time. This relentless drive for improvement is the legacy Kobe leaves.
Kobe taught us to be better: a better teacher, a better teammate, a better loser, a better winner. As Kendrick says in the film, “Just be better.” Whatever it is that you’re trying to improve — work to be better today than you were yesterday. That’s the Mamba Mentality.
This :90 anthem film was directed by Melina Matsoukas of PRETTYBIRD for Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore.
Credits
Client Nike Agency Wieden+Kennedy, Portland, Ore. Alberto Ponte, Ryan O’Rourke, creative directors; Kevin Steele, copywriter; Emma Barnett, art director; Matt Hunnicutt, head of production; Jake Grand, Krystle Mortimore, executive producers; Emily Knight, producer; Jasmyn Barr, associate producer; Paula Bloodworth, group strategy director; Anthony Holton, strategist. Production PRETTYBIRD Melina Matsoukas, director; Bradford Young, DP; Ali Brown, president/exec producer; Tracy Hauser, director of production; John Winters, line producer. Editorial Spot Welders Robert Duffy, editor; JC Nunez, assistant editor; David Glean, managing partner; Carolina Padilla, exec producer. VFX a52 Kevin Stokes, Michael Vaglienty, Gretchen Capatan, John Valle, Dan Ellis, Flame artists; Andy Rafael Barrios, VFX supervisor; Drew Rissman, VFX producer; Kim Christensen, Patrick Nugent, VFX exec producers. Mix/Sound Design Joint Editorial Noah Woodburn, audio mixer; Leslie Carthy, exec producer. Music Adaptation of “Midnight Sonata” Music Supervision Walker Sara Matarazzo, sr. exec producer; Stephanie Pigott, exec producer; Danielle Soury, producer.
Stain remover Vanish presents this emotional short film--created by BETC Havas, Sao Paulo, and produced by LOBO--that explores the profound consequences of bullying and highlights the importance of open conversations between parents and children. Titled The Bully Monster, the animated film premiered at the Maquinaria Festival in Rio de Janeiro on February 15 in a special edition featuring family-focused programming.
The film’s protagonist is a boy who experiences bullying at school but keeps silent about his suffering. Isolation turns sadness into insecurity, creating invisible emotional scars that only grow in the absence of dialogue. When his mother notices stains on his uniform, these marks become the starting point for a revealing conversation. As words find space to make themselves heard, the stains begin to fade.
This initiative aligns with the Vanish Saves Your Uniform campaign, which, for the past three years during the back-to-school season, has engaged with parents by positioning the brand as a trusted partner in preserving school uniforms. This year, Vanish decided to broaden the conversation, bringing bullying into the debate as the real stain that can impact a child’s life.
The Bully Monster is being screened as preshow material in movie theaters starting February 20 and will also be available on streaming platforms and digital channels. In addition to the film, the campaign will include out-of-home activations and school initiatives through a partnership with Abrace – Preventive Programs, the founding organization of the “Bullying-Free Schools” program, which has been equipping institutions with resources to combat school violence for 12 years.
“Research indicates that stains on a uniform can... Read More
