NBA STORE – 5 STAR REVIEWS
Client: NBAStore.com Agency: Translation LLC Production Co: Click 3X EP: Camille Geier Director: Manny Bernardez DOP: Greg Schmitt Producer: John Beveridge Editorial & Post: Click 3X Editor: Ed Einhorn
What do a sock monkey, a fanny pack, a yoga mat, and a Damian Lillard plush doll have in common?According to NBA stars: five stars.
Five Star Reviews was a comedic campaign built on the simple idea of absurd product endorsements—performed straight to camera by actual NBA athletes. The challenge? Shoot across five states, rewrite in real time, and turn notoriously tight-lipped superstars into on-set comedians.
Each spot featured a different player delivering a dramatic review of a ridiculous item—everything technically available at NBAStore.com. Jimmy Butler reviewed a Bulls sock monkey and fanny pack. John Wall gave glowing marks to a Wall Calendar and a yoga mat (which he couldn’t actually sit cross-legged on, making the bit even better). Damian Lillard delivered his review in full freestyle—rapping about a Trail Blazers BBQ set and a plush doll made in his likeness. Fun fact: These lyrics were written the night before at a bar, and selling Dame on the delivery took some artful persuasion. Zach LaVine and Andrew Wiggins handled a set of Timberwolves balloons with wide-eyed, childlike charm.
Directed by Manny Bernardez in partnership with Translation LLC, the campaign required a live, adaptive approach. Scripts were tailored on the day to fit each athlete’s personality, with products sometimes sourced locally due to shipping delays. Every pivot fed the comedy.
Behind the scenes, we shot bonus material with team mascots, dancers, and even a Bulls-branded hot tub segment featuring Benny the Bull and a very enthusiastic rubber duck—though not everything made it to air.
Still, the campaign took over NBA airwaves and made a splash online during the height of the season.
Ridiculous products. Real athletes. One running joke: “Five stars.”
