October 5, 2023 • 33 mins
The NBA superstar opens up about his first time on a commercial set, relationship with State Farm, his brother Cliff and how he became one of the greatest marketers in sports
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Hello, and welcome to season two of the Future Legends
of Advertising podcast on iHeart, featuring the hottest up and
coming stars in advertising as well as the biggest legends
in the game.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
In this series, we explore the future of the advertising
industry through never before heard conversations between those who created
it and those who are shaping its future.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
We're your hosts, Hailey Romer.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
And Ross Martin.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Now let's meet the legends.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Ross, can you even believe it's been a full year
since we did this podcast the first time? No?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I mean I've just been sitting here waiting to do
it again, and now I can finally wake up from
my long slumber.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I'm not sure you've been in a slumber exactly. Given
all the incredible things that are happening over there at
Known and as the president of Known, why don't you
give us a quick update on how well things have
been going, especially in the context of this insane year
that we've just experienced.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
All I can say is that I need to acknowledge
that if we're doing a podcast about the advertising industry,
this industry has been turned upside down, sideways and all
around for like more than just a year and the
tumult continues. It is the most dynamic time to be
(01:31):
doing what we're doing and at Known, I feel very
lucky to be surrounded by incredible humans, great clients, and
I feel inspired. I couldn't imagine doing anything else, unlike you,
who's got a major pivot going on that was like
just announced. So this is like almost technically your first
(01:52):
real interview since you took a huge new job as
the head of Growth for Art Basel.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So what's up with you?
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Well, yes, there's that. This is technically my first podcast
since I joined our Basel as the new chief growth
officer and honestly, ross as you said, so, I'm really
really excited and super excited to be back here, back
here with our partners at iHeart, back here with you
and the best agency in the business, which is Known,
and all of the incredible guests we're going to have.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
So this year is a really different Advertising Hall of
Achievement because we're giving out an award that we have
never given out before, and it's the Cultural Force Award,
and I think now is definitely the time to be
doing it. You talked about impact. We were looking to
give this award to somebody who is having an outsized
(02:46):
impact on culture through marketing and advertising. And we looked
at a lot of people who are doing a lot
of amazing stuff in our industry, and they're emerged a
very obvious choice for this inaugural award.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Who was it, Hiley?
Speaker 1 (03:03):
It was Chris Paul Ross. I think it'd be easy
to look at someone like him and say, oh, sure,
he's a celebrity, he's an athlete, and his ability to
have an outsize impact stands apart from the everyday person.
And yet what I loved about our conversations that we
discovered that he's got this real, deep understanding and appreciation
(03:25):
for every facet of the industry. This is a guy
who truly understands that nothing happens without a team.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
The way he talks about using his power and influence
both as an advertising spokesperson and as a basketball player
and as a community leader, Chris Paul CP three is
all about what can I do to affect positive change
in the world and in my community, and given the
gifts that God gave me to use his language, and
(03:53):
I thought that was really moving.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I agree. From that moment on, I was all ears.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
All right, so should we play it. Let's hit the show,
let's go, let's do it.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
All right, everyone, here's Chris Paul.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Chris Paul is widely regarded as one of the greatest
basketball players ever, one of the top point guards of
all time. Nicknamed the point God, he won Rookie of
the Year in his first season. Then he went on
to become a twelve time NBA All Star and eleven
(04:27):
time All NBA honoree, a ten time NBA All Defensive
Team honouree, led the league in assists five times, led
the league in steals a record six times, won two
Olympic gold medals. I'm not done for the United States
first NBA player in history to score twenty thousand points
(04:50):
and ten thousand assists, which is insane.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Ross.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
I know you love basketball, especially your beloved Brooklyn Nets.
This is not a basketball podcast, so let's bring him
on and kick off the show.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
That sound good to you, great call, Welcome to the pod, Chris.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
Paul, Thank you guys. Thank you guys so much for
having me. I appreciate y'all need to travel with me
and introduce me everywhere I go.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Ross was testing out his announcer Chops, I'm not sure
I'm not sure what you think of them.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
I'm better than the guy, better than the guy at
the Berkley Center in Brooklyn. Well, Chris, we're gonna jump
right in. We got a lot of stuff to talk
about with you, and let's let's in a minute, we'll
get to like why we're really here, so all the
advertising stuff, but first we do have to talk ball
for a second. Okay, because we got you here, new team,
new city, new chapter in an epic career, how are
(05:45):
you feeling as you rev up for a whole new season.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
First and foremost, I'm I'm grateful, you know.
Speaker 6 (05:52):
I'm grateful that I'm still able to play at a
high level at this point my career. It's crazy going
into nineteen, you know, and I played for a number
of teams now and I just so happened to get
traded to damn there, my arch nemesis for all these years,
you know, And so it's taken some getting used to.
(06:13):
I remember the first time I went into the locker
room and put the.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
Short song, it was like, am I really doing this?
Speaker 6 (06:21):
And I think the coolest thing about it has been
the spirit that they have within their organization, you know,
their head trainer was joking about it. Their coaches was like,
I got to get used to seeing you and this stuff,
you know, But I've already had a chance to go
out there a few times and get in some work
with the guys, and I couldn't be excited be more
(06:42):
excited about the season.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Well, we're excited too.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I mean one of the things you talked about is
longevity and how at your age, you've been playing for
a long time, like most of your life, and you've
been doing it at this world class level. But every
year it feels like all these new players hit the
court coming out of nowhere, and they all are trying
(07:05):
to change the game in some way. And so we
feel like in marketing it's very much the same thing.
New platforms every year, new technology, new brands, new creative
talent that's just blowing us away. And so we're wondering,
how do you think about and how do you respond
to on the court all the new stuff that's coming
at you because you're a target out there and stuff
(07:28):
you've never seen before, ever had to deal with before,
Guys half your age doing things that nobody's ever done before.
How do you anticipate, prepare for and then respond to
that out there on the court.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
Yes, it's a really good question. Ross what I'll tell you.
Speaker 6 (07:41):
Like you said, I've actually now been in the NBA
half of my life.
Speaker 5 (07:44):
You know. But what keeps me so connected to the.
Speaker 6 (07:48):
Game and everything is that I had camps since day
one since I came into the NBA, and I have
an Elite guard camp that I've had for probably about
fifteen years now. And I have an AAU basketball program,
a grassroots program where I have fourteen of my AAU
kids who played in my team on my team who
(08:09):
are now in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
So I'm so connected to the game.
Speaker 6 (08:13):
I coach my kids during the summer, not like my
personal kids, but my AAU kids. It's crazy calling them kids,
but you know, some of them were when they played
on my team.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
My very first player that made it to the NBA
was a guy.
Speaker 6 (08:29):
Named Reggie Bullet right who plays in the NBA now,
actually was my teammate, and he was my very first
AAU kid that made it to the NBA and was
my teammate.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
And so that keeps you connected to the game.
Speaker 6 (08:44):
So I'm always knowing who's coming in and what the
next talent looks.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Like I feel like Heley and I don't have a
camp of marketing people that were training and we do
read that age that but.
Speaker 5 (08:57):
We might start now, right, But he's got like a cheap.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Code because he sees them. He's like, oh, I see
who's coming after me. They're fifteen now, but like in
a few years. And then one more question about like
the emerging next generation because and I know you've spoken
about this a little bit because you have so much
experience working with brands, and so I wonder if you
could talk about the relationship between brands today with Nil
(09:22):
and some of the younger kids that are coming up.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
I know you have a strong opinion on that, just.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
About like what's her advice like for younger athletes and
how do you feel about teenagers doing these deals that
like in some cases are bigger than some of the
NBA players that you play with.
Speaker 5 (09:36):
Yeah, it's tough.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
It's tough because you need money, you know what I mean,
If you'd be perfectly honest, like you need money at
times in your life.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
When I came into the NBA, there with deals here
and there that you.
Speaker 6 (09:49):
Know, a lot of times you're doing not necessarily partnerships.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
But you, like you said.
Speaker 6 (09:56):
You're doing like you want me to hold this and
you're gonna pay me what you know.
Speaker 5 (10:00):
So I think it's big for kids to understand who
they are.
Speaker 6 (10:04):
You know, as a business, as a brand, and these
brands also have to understand, you know, what they're paying for,
because the brands already know that, right The brands know
how many followers this kid has on TikTok, how many
they have on Instagram. But I think throughout the whole
process and what we try to do is try to
educate these kids as much as possible along the way
(10:25):
because there's guys who are in professional sports who don't understand.
So if you get to these kids earlier, they're not
going to understand. So I think the communication aspect has
to be there.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
You know, you've been recognized for a lot throughout your
career and even your advertising work has been recognized, But
now you're about to be inducted into the Advertising holl
of Achievement, which is a rare and special recognition within
the advertising industry. In fact, winners often say it's one
of the first times that they feel truly seen by
the advertising industry. And see among really talented people, they
(10:59):
feel like they're finally standing out, and it creates this
moment of self reflection because being acknowledged as one of
the most impactful contributors and among the best and brightest
in all of advertising and marketing is going to do
that for you, right, no question, and.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
In any industry.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Really, how does it feel to you to be recognized
by this industry for your achievements?
Speaker 6 (11:23):
It's still crazy to think that this is how. I
remember when I got the phone call. I think it
was Jesse O Carmen. They called me and they told me,
and I was like what. I was like, how how?
Speaker 5 (11:33):
Like? How me? How me? And it's not till I'm
I think.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
I'm with my family sometimes and we started looking at
different pictures or my wife has the app on her
phone that every day it shows like what was happening
a year ago, you know, I see pictures, or like
when we get on set for State Farm this year,
it's a woman named Susannah Swortley who has been a
(11:58):
part of day one State Farm and it's still there,
and when we get on set.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
We start reminiscing, like do you remember the very first shoot?
You know, and.
Speaker 6 (12:11):
It has really become a big part of my life.
The different people in the advertising space have become part
of my extended family. And to be recognized amm you
know some of these great names, Baldwin at Leisha, like
all these different people who have getten.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
So much of their lives and their time to this space.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
I'm telling you it's a real honor and a privilege
because I really take this stuff seriously. Right when we
do these different advertising ads. And when I was younger
and I first came into the NBA, I used to
do a few things here and there, but I've always
been a consumer, right and I don't just watch commercials
(12:56):
now or ads or anything like that. Now I'm literally
looking at it like, how's it shot, who's shooting it,
who's the director, what's this?
Speaker 5 (13:05):
What's that? I love every little intricacy of the process.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
That's great. So you can appreciate all that goes into it,
which is so much of what the AAF likes to celebrate,
because as you just said, there are so many details,
so many components that go into making that connection between
the brand and the consumer. Most consumers don't even realize it.
And so you've had a front row seat obviously into
(13:32):
what's happening.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
I'll tell you guys a cool story.
Speaker 6 (13:34):
I was leaving UCLA last week because I have this
program out here called Club sixty one where I bring
five kids from every NBA city that I've played in,
and I bring them here to LA for three days
and we go through financial literacy, we go through health
and wellness, we go through so many different things in life.
(13:54):
And I was leaving to go home so that I
could work out, and I was driving and I look
and somebody sort of running on the street and I
rolled down my window and I yelled out the window.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
I said, Quincy.
Speaker 6 (14:06):
Right, So I yelled out Quincy, and I saw the
guy look back, like who's calling me? And so then
I hit the horn and he backed up and Quincy
saw it was me. And so just to let you
guys know who Quincy is, Quincy has been my double
on all these commercials for all of these years, right amazing,
and so I never get a chance to see him
usually unless we're filming.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
One of the spots.
Speaker 6 (14:28):
And so just driving and I seen him running and
I yelled out the window and I got goosebumps.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
Man, because Quincy has become part of my family.
Speaker 6 (14:37):
We get this point in time every summer to do
these spots or whatnot. But Quincy said he was running
up at UCLA to go play basketball, and just to
see him, I just made my day.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
I love that.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
That is awesome. Chris.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Do you remember the first time you were on one
of those sets? Because you've worked with a lot of
brands like Naked Jordan Brand, Beyond Meat, obviously, State Farm, others,
do you emember like the first time you went on.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
A set and you were like what is this?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Because it's got all the rules and people doing things,
You're like, what do they do?
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Yeah? What was that?
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Like?
Speaker 6 (15:14):
The first one? It might have been a Nike shoot,
might have been probably my rookie year. Beyond Meat stuff
has been so fun. There's been so many different I
tell you, some of the funnest shoots have been the
ones that I've been able to do with my family, right,
Like my son was in a State Farm commercial when
he was like three years old. My whole family were
in Beyond Meat shoots. But I tell you there's an
(15:36):
ad that you guys should see.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
It's a Nike ad.
Speaker 6 (15:39):
It was the twenty five year anniversary of the Air
Force one, right, And it was right at the time
I was leaving Nike to go to Jordan Brand.
Speaker 5 (15:48):
Right. I know it's all under the Nike umbrella, but
it's it's separate.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
And we did a thing at an airport hangar in
Ontario and it's all of us walking in these white suits, right,
and it's got this music going to it and the
energy of it's crazy. And they needed us to play
basketball in the spot. They wanted us to be playing
(16:12):
actual basketball. And I'm a young guy, so I'm like,
let's play.
Speaker 5 (16:16):
Let's play.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
It's like me, Steve Nash, Paul Pierce, Jermaine O'Neill, guys
who Tony Parker, guys who's older than me, and they
kind of like, nah, I don't like playing, And in
order to make the spot look good and real, they
need you to like play.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
I don't even know if I'm supposed to say this.
Speaker 6 (16:32):
Man, they came with they came up there and they
dropped some money. They dropped they dropped some money on
the court and it was four and four, and they
was like, whoever win, get this money?
Speaker 5 (16:43):
Man? If you ever go watch that commercial, So it's funny.
Speaker 6 (16:47):
Kobe was hurt, So they just filmed like if you
look at it, look like he's playing in the game,
but he's not Lebron. He's in the commercial, but he wasn't.
He wasn't there either, But the rest of us. That's
a real form for a game. And that's that's the
coolest thing about ads and stuff like that is when
you note behind the scenes and how they put this
(17:09):
in there and how they put that in there.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
That's that's a great that's a great story.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
Chris.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
So you talk about working with your family and obviously
with your brother Cliff, and your relationship with State Farm,
which has kind of become a family, I think to you,
and you know, I remember Steve Stout is a friend
of mine and translation has done a great job, so
I know the State Farm relationship really started there, I.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Think with Steve and Pam L.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Pam L was the CMO of State Farm at the time,
but then then went on to become the CMO of
the NBA. And now we got Tammy Heno entering the
class of twenty twenty three as the current CMO. With
you is it's all crazy and how it comes together.
Can you tell us about like why has this relationship
with State Farm been so great, like what makes it
(17:59):
so good?
Speaker 6 (18:00):
And I still remember riding on the four h five
back in like twenty eleven, twenty twelve when Pam and
Steve called me and told me about this idea, right,
and I just got to la, you know, and I'm like,
all right, let's let's try it, you know, let's try it.
And the very first shoot that we did and this
(18:21):
is like LA living for you. I guess like Paparrizzi
got pictures of it or whatnot. And the first thing
that came out they said that I was filming a movie, right.
I said, He'm not filming a movie.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
No.
Speaker 6 (18:32):
But the whole process of it is when I really
started paying attention. And then when I was getting a
chance to be Cliff Now, that was that really made
me appreciate like the Nutty Professor and all those different
type movies right where you're having to be multiple characters.
But the State Farm partnership has been so special because
(18:53):
it introduced me to a whole different audience that has
absolutely nothing.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
To do with sports, right, And.
Speaker 6 (19:02):
We took it from being these fun, funny commercials to
being very impactful in the communities, right, We've done a
number of learning centers around the country where we going
to different boys and Girls clubs and we remodel and
make sure that these kids have access to technology, and
you know, we have the assist Tracker, and I think
(19:23):
that's been the coolest thing about it is that we've
been able to show up not just as these funny commercials,
but show up in a big and impactful way. And
I'll tell you probably the number one thing when it
comes to all of these commercial spots is I had
an opportunity to play golf with President Bill Clinton years ago,
(19:43):
and I'll never forget I was at the first t
and when he got there, right because I'm waiting at
the first te and you know, the motor ke comes
pulls up and he gets out, and the first thing
he says to me is he says, I didn't know
if I was playing with Chris ll Cliffe today, you know.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
And so honestly, everywhere I go.
Speaker 6 (20:01):
People you know, now, people every time they see me,
they ask that they can race walk against me, you know.
And I'll never forget him saying that, because that's when
it really hit me. I was like, these as these commercials,
they are really seeing them, and I'm grateful for that partnership.
Speaker 5 (20:19):
And yeah, well so.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
The relationship between athletes, professional athletes, and marketing, let's talk
about that for a second. You know, it's funny when
we did the voting for this year's Advertising Hall of Achievement,
everybody who gets nominated has to be introduced by somebody,
and Alisha from American Family Insurance had I mean, it's
(20:45):
sort of shocking, like her introducer, the person who like
nominated her with Shaquille O'Neal.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Wow, Shack got.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Up in front of our council of judges and made
the case for why we should induct Alisha, And you're like, wow,
Like this is really something like the relationship between athletes
and the advertising industry.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
So what is it?
Speaker 2 (21:09):
I mean, I remember in twenty fourteen, Tim nud in
Adweek called you quote the NBA's most gifted endorser and
all of it. Yeah, well, there you go. Put it
on the wall, like put it in your bio on X.
But here's the thing, you've done this A lot of
(21:30):
other athletes have now done it in many in your footsteps.
Why are athletes so drawn to marketing and why are
marketers so drawn to athletes.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
And that's a really good question.
Speaker 6 (21:42):
I think first and foremost athletes are drawn to it because,
especially in the world of social media and all this stuff,
everyone is always looking at their screens, right, and then
people watch games, they watch TV, and being a part
of these really cool ads whatnot, it gives you exposure
(22:02):
and some people, depending on who you are, you may
not get an opportunity to really show your personality, right,
everyone's not necessarily on Instagram or TikTok and stuff, and
so you get an opportunity to sort of show.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
Your personality in this.
Speaker 6 (22:16):
And I think the reason why different marketers or ad
agencies want to use athletes because, especially when it comes
to the NBA, we're the most recognizable players in the country.
You know, all the other sports are great in their
own regard, but in football, obviously weren't helmets, you know.
(22:37):
That's why a lot of times you see a lot
of the quarterbacks and things like that that are an ads.
But us as players, our game is so up close
and personal, and it's one of those things that everybody
feels like they can do.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
Right. Everybody feel like they can pick up.
Speaker 6 (22:49):
A basketball and go outside, and we've done I think
a great job over the years as players of making
sure that we do that, you know, always show who
we are. And even if you look at the fashion
right like when we first came into the league, it
was well, my rookie year was when they implemented the
dress code and everybody was like.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
Man, why we got to do this? Why we got
to do that?
Speaker 6 (23:12):
And now you look at it, it's this whole it's
a whole nother business on its own because guys get
an opportunity to show their personality and it's really it's
really fun.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
From that though, you get to make choices, right because
you get pitched a lot, I'm sure, and your friends
and peers and colleagues in the league get pitched, you know,
all the time. So how are you deciding what to
say yes to and what not to say yes because
also you're a man of faith. I don't know, I mean,
where are the lines? Where are the things you're not
going to do versus the things you want to do?
Speaker 6 (23:45):
When you're younger, it's kind of hard, you know, sometimes
it's like, man, I need this money, you know, what
do you want me to hold?
Speaker 5 (23:52):
You know? But as I got older.
Speaker 6 (23:54):
I stopped doing like just deals, Like there's partnerships, you know.
Every every brand that I stand next to now is
something that I actually use and represent, you know. And
I think that is big because the people that I see,
you know, when they see me out or something like that,
they I don't want to see me holding on to
something that I don't even use, you know. And I
(24:16):
think that's the big thing with social media and everything.
Authenticity is the hardest thing for everyone to sell. And
I think that's the biggest thing that everyone wants to
grasp to. And that's why I say the biggest thing
with me and the ads or whatever it is that
I do, I'm a consumer. I'm a consumer. So when
(24:37):
I'm filming an ad or anything like that, I try
to make it as conversational or funny as possible because.
Speaker 5 (24:43):
I watch TV.
Speaker 6 (24:44):
I watch these different ads and I want to last
I see I see things too.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
And I be like, mamn, was that was good? That
was good?
Speaker 6 (24:51):
And I'm sitting at home with my family and you know,
things will pop up sometimes and you're like, Damn, that
was good.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
I need to try that.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
I wonder if like this an NBA start that you think,
like I'm glad I got this a word because they're
really good, like they're that that they're good in their ads.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Is somebody else that you think is like really good
in ads?
Speaker 6 (25:11):
I'm trying to think you have to you have to
like show them to me, But when I watch them,
I always who can?
Speaker 3 (25:17):
I think Grandmama would probably be, oh.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
My god, that was so good. That was so good.
So I really I really liked that.
Speaker 6 (25:26):
I really liked you remember a little Penny Penny Hardaway.
Which was interesting about that is that little Penny actually
went to wake Forest. There was a book little Penny
actually went to Wake Forest. And you know what's crazy?
And everyone is their own person. And I think that's
what's so interesting for me to watch too when I
watch ads, because some guys are unbelievable stars and athletes,
(25:48):
but they may not be as comfortable speaking, right, So
when you watch an AD and you see someone else
in the spot and you see that person talking more
than the actual athlete, then that's something that mean something.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
To me, you know.
Speaker 6 (26:01):
And so everyone has their own comfort zone. And that's
what I appreciate about ads because you play, you mess
around with it, you figure out what works, and everybody's
different that's great.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
You know, Chris, you're not just seen as a basketball
superstar and an advertising leader, but you're also a force
for positive change, which is one of the reasons that
you're receiving this Special Cultural Force Award from the AAF.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
You dedicate a.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Lot of time and personal resources to community building and engagement.
You've talked a little bit about some of that here
up until a little bit earlier, but would you tell
us just a little bit about some of your favorite initiatives,
or maybe your favorite initiative or the thing that means
the most to you that you wish you could spend
even more time and energy towards.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
You know, it's funny heavy, and I'm sorry, but sometimes
I forget all the different things that we have going on,
and I'm not sure it's just one that I want
to put all my time I'm into because everything is
a little bit different. Like I was talking about my
AAU program, so that is based out of North Carolina,
and it's so passionate to me because a lot of
(27:11):
those kids are growing up just like me, and my
whole family is a part of it, and we're just
trying to give them an opportunity to fall in love
with the game as we as we've done, started a
social change fund during the pandemic with d Wade and Carmelo,
and that's really been great because when you're younger, everyone
(27:32):
is like, what can I do? And as you get older,
you start to realize what can we do right? Because
you're so much stronger together. So just the board meetings
that we've had together.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
And the way that we've been able to make an
impact together is something that I'm so grateful for.
Speaker 6 (27:50):
We've done a number of things for HBCUs historically black
colleges and universities. Actually graduated last December from Winston Salem State.
There's just so many things as honestly, so fulfilling, you know.
I remember my coach, MANI Williams. He used to always
tell us, like on off days, anytime we had an
off day, he used to always say, go fill your cup, right,
(28:13):
go fill your cup. And I like that because, you know,
just like everyone else, we all work so hard, you know,
on the things that we do, and it's days like
this where you celebrated and I really really don't think
I should be, but I get a chance today to
spend some time with my kids and that's that's literally
(28:34):
how I feel, my cup.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Yeah, I love that, and I really do love that
you keep referencing some of the great influences and lessons,
influences you've had on your life and lessons that you've learned,
because it seems like you've really taken those and at
this point in time, are using them to help others
and pass them on. And that is the gift of
learning in life is to be able to give back
into each other's right.
Speaker 6 (28:57):
Yes, ma'am, that's that's the real est thing. And go
back to what I said, in order to be a
great leader, you got to be able to listen. So
to tell you the truth, a lot of times, I'm
just the sum of all of my experiences, right, So
with all my coaches that I've played for the different
things that I've taken from them, that is, it's not me,
it's me just.
Speaker 5 (29:17):
Learning from them and pouring that into others.
Speaker 6 (29:20):
And I think that's the funnest thing with community, you know,
and even this community, Like I love hearing about different spots,
and you know, I always think about the Super Bowl, right,
and not just the spots that come on during the
Super Bowl. My first question is I always go to
(29:41):
a company and I'll be like, Okay, you guys paid
what for that that spot?
Speaker 5 (29:46):
How did that influence the revenue?
Speaker 6 (29:50):
I think that's the thing that's always most intriguing to me,
because you don't do these things for nothing.
Speaker 5 (29:56):
Right you don't. You definitely don't do them for nothing.
Speaker 6 (30:00):
So I've just always been intrigued about how it all worked.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
That's great. You just wrote a book, and I know
you talk a little bit about your grandfather in there,
who had a huge influence on your life. Tell us
what inspired you to write this book now, and if
you wanted to give a plug for it to our audience,
please do so.
Speaker 6 (30:19):
The book that I wrote that actually became a New
York Times bestseller.
Speaker 5 (30:24):
She man, that was work.
Speaker 6 (30:27):
That was some work, but it's probably one of the
most fulfilling things that I've done. And had no idea
that it would impact others the way it has. It
was almost like a passion piece, you know, And it
started out to be just about my relationship with my grandfather,
but it evolved and actually our head trainer for the
(30:51):
Warriors came up to me the other day and said
he's been reading it, and he said, do you realize
you wrote a parenting book too, And I said, you know,
throughout I started realizing that is that I was talking
to my kids, talking to my wife and my family
in general, and just you know, my kids live a
totally different life than me and my wife lived growing up,
(31:11):
and so you're just always trying to, like we said,
find this balance between.
Speaker 5 (31:16):
Work and family, work and family.
Speaker 6 (31:19):
And so the book is called sixty one Lessons from Papa.
My grandfather was murdered at sixty one years of age
when I was seventeen, and my very first game the
day after his funeral, I scored sixty one points. So
this has just been a way that his legacy has
lived on, and you know, I miss him, but I'm
(31:41):
glad I'm able to share his story and our story
with the rest of the world.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Thank you, thanks for sharing that with us. Well, thank
you so much for joining us. You've given us much
more than we had even hoped for. Chris, it's been
awesome talking to you.
Speaker 6 (31:56):
I want to say thank you to you guys, and
a big thank you to the Just know that this
does not go unnoticed, Like I'm serious, like this is such.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
A hunter and a privilege, especially with the other people.
Speaker 6 (32:09):
Who are on the list, and I'm extremely humbled and
I hope that there's a lot of fun to come
over the years.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Well, CP three, I know that you're about to start
a season playing next to the all time three point
points leader in Steph Curry, but he's not in the
American Advertising Federation's Hall of Achievement and he did not
get this award, and so I hope he feels a
little bit jealous of you beyond just your basketball abilities,
(32:39):
but as Tim Dunn said, one of the best advertising
guys ever in the NBA. So thank you for everything
you're doing for our industry and for bringing your full.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
Self to it.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
The two of us really appreciate having you on season
two of our podcast.
Speaker 5 (32:54):
Thank you guys, I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Well.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
That does it for this episode of the Future led
Us of Advertising podcast on iHeart.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
I'm Ross Martin and I'm Hailey Romer, and thank you
for listening. We'll be back with another episode before you
know it. And for more information on the American Advertising Federation,
go to AAF dot org.
Hello, and welcome to season two of the Future Legends
of Advertising podcast on iHeart, featuring the hottest up and
coming stars in advertising as well as the biggest legends
in the game.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
In this series, we explore the future of the advertising
industry through never before heard conversations between those who created
it and those who are shaping its future.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
We're your hosts, Hailey Romer.
Speaker 3 (00:28):
And Ross Martin.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Now let's meet the legends.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Wow.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
Ross, can you even believe it's been a full year
since we did this podcast the first time? No?
Speaker 2 (00:47):
I mean I've just been sitting here waiting to do
it again, and now I can finally wake up from
my long slumber.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
I'm not sure you've been in a slumber exactly. Given
all the incredible things that are happening over there at
Known and as the president of Known, why don't you
give us a quick update on how well things have
been going, especially in the context of this insane year
that we've just experienced.
Speaker 2 (01:11):
All I can say is that I need to acknowledge
that if we're doing a podcast about the advertising industry,
this industry has been turned upside down, sideways and all
around for like more than just a year and the
tumult continues. It is the most dynamic time to be
(01:31):
doing what we're doing and at Known, I feel very
lucky to be surrounded by incredible humans, great clients, and
I feel inspired. I couldn't imagine doing anything else, unlike you,
who's got a major pivot going on that was like
just announced. So this is like almost technically your first
(01:52):
real interview since you took a huge new job as
the head of Growth for Art Basel.
Speaker 3 (02:00):
So what's up with you?
Speaker 1 (02:02):
Well, yes, there's that. This is technically my first podcast
since I joined our Basel as the new chief growth
officer and honestly, ross as you said, so, I'm really
really excited and super excited to be back here, back
here with our partners at iHeart, back here with you
and the best agency in the business, which is Known,
and all of the incredible guests we're going to have.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
So this year is a really different Advertising Hall of
Achievement because we're giving out an award that we have
never given out before, and it's the Cultural Force Award,
and I think now is definitely the time to be
doing it. You talked about impact. We were looking to
give this award to somebody who is having an outsized
(02:46):
impact on culture through marketing and advertising. And we looked
at a lot of people who are doing a lot
of amazing stuff in our industry, and they're emerged a
very obvious choice for this inaugural award.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
Who was it, Hiley?
Speaker 1 (03:03):
It was Chris Paul Ross. I think it'd be easy
to look at someone like him and say, oh, sure,
he's a celebrity, he's an athlete, and his ability to
have an outsize impact stands apart from the everyday person.
And yet what I loved about our conversations that we
discovered that he's got this real, deep understanding and appreciation
(03:25):
for every facet of the industry. This is a guy
who truly understands that nothing happens without a team.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
The way he talks about using his power and influence
both as an advertising spokesperson and as a basketball player
and as a community leader, Chris Paul CP three is
all about what can I do to affect positive change
in the world and in my community, and given the
gifts that God gave me to use his language, and
(03:53):
I thought that was really moving.
Speaker 1 (03:55):
I agree. From that moment on, I was all ears.
Speaker 3 (03:58):
All right, so should we play it. Let's hit the show,
let's go, let's do it.
Speaker 1 (04:01):
All right, everyone, here's Chris Paul.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Chris Paul is widely regarded as one of the greatest
basketball players ever, one of the top point guards of
all time. Nicknamed the point God, he won Rookie of
the Year in his first season. Then he went on
to become a twelve time NBA All Star and eleven
(04:27):
time All NBA honoree, a ten time NBA All Defensive
Team honouree, led the league in assists five times, led
the league in steals a record six times, won two
Olympic gold medals. I'm not done for the United States
first NBA player in history to score twenty thousand points
(04:50):
and ten thousand assists, which is insane.
Speaker 5 (04:55):
Ross.
Speaker 1 (04:55):
I know you love basketball, especially your beloved Brooklyn Nets.
This is not a basketball podcast, so let's bring him
on and kick off the show.
Speaker 2 (05:04):
That sound good to you, great call, Welcome to the pod, Chris.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
Paul, Thank you guys. Thank you guys so much for
having me. I appreciate y'all need to travel with me
and introduce me everywhere I go.
Speaker 1 (05:17):
Ross was testing out his announcer Chops, I'm not sure
I'm not sure what you think of them.
Speaker 2 (05:21):
I'm better than the guy, better than the guy at
the Berkley Center in Brooklyn. Well, Chris, we're gonna jump
right in. We got a lot of stuff to talk
about with you, and let's let's in a minute, we'll
get to like why we're really here, so all the
advertising stuff, but first we do have to talk ball
for a second. Okay, because we got you here, new team,
new city, new chapter in an epic career, how are
(05:45):
you feeling as you rev up for a whole new season.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
First and foremost, I'm I'm grateful, you know.
Speaker 6 (05:52):
I'm grateful that I'm still able to play at a
high level at this point my career. It's crazy going
into nineteen, you know, and I played for a number
of teams now and I just so happened to get
traded to damn there, my arch nemesis for all these years,
you know, And so it's taken some getting used to.
(06:13):
I remember the first time I went into the locker
room and put the.
Speaker 5 (06:16):
Short song, it was like, am I really doing this?
Speaker 6 (06:21):
And I think the coolest thing about it has been
the spirit that they have within their organization, you know,
their head trainer was joking about it. Their coaches was like,
I got to get used to seeing you and this stuff,
you know, But I've already had a chance to go
out there a few times and get in some work
with the guys, and I couldn't be excited be more
(06:42):
excited about the season.
Speaker 3 (06:44):
Well, we're excited too.
Speaker 2 (06:45):
I mean one of the things you talked about is
longevity and how at your age, you've been playing for
a long time, like most of your life, and you've
been doing it at this world class level. But every
year it feels like all these new players hit the
court coming out of nowhere, and they all are trying
(07:05):
to change the game in some way. And so we
feel like in marketing it's very much the same thing.
New platforms every year, new technology, new brands, new creative
talent that's just blowing us away. And so we're wondering,
how do you think about and how do you respond
to on the court all the new stuff that's coming
at you because you're a target out there and stuff
(07:28):
you've never seen before, ever had to deal with before,
Guys half your age doing things that nobody's ever done before.
How do you anticipate, prepare for and then respond to
that out there on the court.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
Yes, it's a really good question. Ross what I'll tell you.
Speaker 6 (07:41):
Like you said, I've actually now been in the NBA
half of my life.
Speaker 5 (07:44):
You know. But what keeps me so connected to the.
Speaker 6 (07:48):
Game and everything is that I had camps since day
one since I came into the NBA, and I have
an Elite guard camp that I've had for probably about
fifteen years now. And I have an AAU basketball program,
a grassroots program where I have fourteen of my AAU
kids who played in my team on my team who
(08:09):
are now in the NBA.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
So I'm so connected to the game.
Speaker 6 (08:13):
I coach my kids during the summer, not like my
personal kids, but my AAU kids. It's crazy calling them kids,
but you know, some of them were when they played
on my team.
Speaker 5 (08:26):
My very first player that made it to the NBA
was a guy.
Speaker 6 (08:29):
Named Reggie Bullet right who plays in the NBA now,
actually was my teammate, and he was my very first
AAU kid that made it to the NBA and was
my teammate.
Speaker 5 (08:41):
And so that keeps you connected to the game.
Speaker 6 (08:44):
So I'm always knowing who's coming in and what the
next talent looks.
Speaker 2 (08:48):
Like I feel like Heley and I don't have a
camp of marketing people that were training and we do
read that age that but.
Speaker 5 (08:57):
We might start now, right, But he's got like a cheap.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Code because he sees them. He's like, oh, I see
who's coming after me. They're fifteen now, but like in
a few years. And then one more question about like
the emerging next generation because and I know you've spoken
about this a little bit because you have so much
experience working with brands, and so I wonder if you
could talk about the relationship between brands today with Nil
(09:22):
and some of the younger kids that are coming up.
Speaker 3 (09:24):
I know you have a strong opinion on that, just.
Speaker 2 (09:26):
About like what's her advice like for younger athletes and
how do you feel about teenagers doing these deals that
like in some cases are bigger than some of the
NBA players that you play with.
Speaker 5 (09:36):
Yeah, it's tough.
Speaker 6 (09:37):
It's tough because you need money, you know what I mean,
If you'd be perfectly honest, like you need money at
times in your life.
Speaker 5 (09:46):
When I came into the NBA, there with deals here
and there that you.
Speaker 6 (09:49):
Know, a lot of times you're doing not necessarily partnerships.
Speaker 5 (09:55):
But you, like you said.
Speaker 6 (09:56):
You're doing like you want me to hold this and
you're gonna pay me what you know.
Speaker 5 (10:00):
So I think it's big for kids to understand who
they are.
Speaker 6 (10:04):
You know, as a business, as a brand, and these
brands also have to understand, you know, what they're paying for,
because the brands already know that, right The brands know
how many followers this kid has on TikTok, how many
they have on Instagram. But I think throughout the whole
process and what we try to do is try to
educate these kids as much as possible along the way
(10:25):
because there's guys who are in professional sports who don't understand.
So if you get to these kids earlier, they're not
going to understand. So I think the communication aspect has
to be there.
Speaker 5 (10:35):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
You know, you've been recognized for a lot throughout your
career and even your advertising work has been recognized, But
now you're about to be inducted into the Advertising holl
of Achievement, which is a rare and special recognition within
the advertising industry. In fact, winners often say it's one
of the first times that they feel truly seen by
the advertising industry. And see among really talented people, they
(10:59):
feel like they're finally standing out, and it creates this
moment of self reflection because being acknowledged as one of
the most impactful contributors and among the best and brightest
in all of advertising and marketing is going to do
that for you, right, no question, and.
Speaker 5 (11:15):
In any industry.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Really, how does it feel to you to be recognized
by this industry for your achievements?
Speaker 6 (11:23):
It's still crazy to think that this is how. I
remember when I got the phone call. I think it
was Jesse O Carmen. They called me and they told me,
and I was like what. I was like, how how?
Speaker 5 (11:33):
Like? How me? How me? And it's not till I'm
I think.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
I'm with my family sometimes and we started looking at
different pictures or my wife has the app on her
phone that every day it shows like what was happening
a year ago, you know, I see pictures, or like
when we get on set for State Farm this year,
it's a woman named Susannah Swortley who has been a
(11:58):
part of day one State Farm and it's still there,
and when we get on set.
Speaker 5 (12:05):
We start reminiscing, like do you remember the very first shoot?
You know, and.
Speaker 6 (12:11):
It has really become a big part of my life.
The different people in the advertising space have become part
of my extended family. And to be recognized amm you
know some of these great names, Baldwin at Leisha, like
all these different people who have getten.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
So much of their lives and their time to this space.
Speaker 6 (12:35):
I'm telling you it's a real honor and a privilege
because I really take this stuff seriously. Right when we
do these different advertising ads. And when I was younger
and I first came into the NBA, I used to
do a few things here and there, but I've always
been a consumer, right and I don't just watch commercials
(12:56):
now or ads or anything like that. Now I'm literally
looking at it like, how's it shot, who's shooting it,
who's the director, what's this?
Speaker 5 (13:05):
What's that? I love every little intricacy of the process.
Speaker 1 (13:10):
That's great. So you can appreciate all that goes into it,
which is so much of what the AAF likes to celebrate,
because as you just said, there are so many details,
so many components that go into making that connection between
the brand and the consumer. Most consumers don't even realize it.
And so you've had a front row seat obviously into
(13:32):
what's happening.
Speaker 5 (13:32):
I'll tell you guys a cool story.
Speaker 6 (13:34):
I was leaving UCLA last week because I have this
program out here called Club sixty one where I bring
five kids from every NBA city that I've played in,
and I bring them here to LA for three days
and we go through financial literacy, we go through health
and wellness, we go through so many different things in life.
(13:54):
And I was leaving to go home so that I
could work out, and I was driving and I look
and somebody sort of running on the street and I
rolled down my window and I yelled out the window.
Speaker 5 (14:05):
I said, Quincy.
Speaker 6 (14:06):
Right, So I yelled out Quincy, and I saw the
guy look back, like who's calling me? And so then
I hit the horn and he backed up and Quincy
saw it was me. And so just to let you
guys know who Quincy is, Quincy has been my double
on all these commercials for all of these years, right amazing,
and so I never get a chance to see him
usually unless we're filming.
Speaker 5 (14:27):
One of the spots.
Speaker 6 (14:28):
And so just driving and I seen him running and
I yelled out the window and I got goosebumps.
Speaker 5 (14:35):
Man, because Quincy has become part of my family.
Speaker 6 (14:37):
We get this point in time every summer to do
these spots or whatnot. But Quincy said he was running
up at UCLA to go play basketball, and just to
see him, I just made my day.
Speaker 1 (14:49):
I love that.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
That is awesome. Chris.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Do you remember the first time you were on one
of those sets? Because you've worked with a lot of
brands like Naked Jordan Brand, Beyond Meat, obviously, State Farm, others,
do you emember like the first time you went on.
Speaker 3 (15:06):
A set and you were like what is this?
Speaker 2 (15:08):
Because it's got all the rules and people doing things,
You're like, what do they do?
Speaker 5 (15:11):
Yeah? What was that?
Speaker 3 (15:13):
Like?
Speaker 6 (15:14):
The first one? It might have been a Nike shoot,
might have been probably my rookie year. Beyond Meat stuff
has been so fun. There's been so many different I
tell you, some of the funnest shoots have been the
ones that I've been able to do with my family, right,
Like my son was in a State Farm commercial when
he was like three years old. My whole family were
in Beyond Meat shoots. But I tell you there's an
(15:36):
ad that you guys should see.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
It's a Nike ad.
Speaker 6 (15:39):
It was the twenty five year anniversary of the Air
Force one, right, And it was right at the time
I was leaving Nike to go to Jordan Brand.
Speaker 5 (15:48):
Right. I know it's all under the Nike umbrella, but
it's it's separate.
Speaker 6 (15:52):
And we did a thing at an airport hangar in
Ontario and it's all of us walking in these white suits, right,
and it's got this music going to it and the
energy of it's crazy. And they needed us to play
basketball in the spot. They wanted us to be playing
(16:12):
actual basketball. And I'm a young guy, so I'm like,
let's play.
Speaker 5 (16:16):
Let's play.
Speaker 6 (16:16):
It's like me, Steve Nash, Paul Pierce, Jermaine O'Neill, guys
who Tony Parker, guys who's older than me, and they
kind of like, nah, I don't like playing, And in
order to make the spot look good and real, they
need you to like play.
Speaker 5 (16:30):
I don't even know if I'm supposed to say this.
Speaker 6 (16:32):
Man, they came with they came up there and they
dropped some money. They dropped they dropped some money on
the court and it was four and four, and they
was like, whoever win, get this money?
Speaker 5 (16:43):
Man? If you ever go watch that commercial, So it's funny.
Speaker 6 (16:47):
Kobe was hurt, So they just filmed like if you
look at it, look like he's playing in the game,
but he's not Lebron. He's in the commercial, but he wasn't.
He wasn't there either, But the rest of us. That's
a real form for a game. And that's that's the
coolest thing about ads and stuff like that is when
you note behind the scenes and how they put this
(17:09):
in there and how they put that in there.
Speaker 2 (17:11):
That's that's a great that's a great story.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
Chris.
Speaker 2 (17:14):
So you talk about working with your family and obviously
with your brother Cliff, and your relationship with State Farm,
which has kind of become a family, I think to you,
and you know, I remember Steve Stout is a friend
of mine and translation has done a great job, so
I know the State Farm relationship really started there, I.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Think with Steve and Pam L.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Pam L was the CMO of State Farm at the time,
but then then went on to become the CMO of
the NBA. And now we got Tammy Heno entering the
class of twenty twenty three as the current CMO. With
you is it's all crazy and how it comes together.
Can you tell us about like why has this relationship
with State Farm been so great, like what makes it
(17:59):
so good?
Speaker 6 (18:00):
And I still remember riding on the four h five
back in like twenty eleven, twenty twelve when Pam and
Steve called me and told me about this idea, right,
and I just got to la, you know, and I'm like,
all right, let's let's try it, you know, let's try it.
And the very first shoot that we did and this
(18:21):
is like LA living for you. I guess like Paparrizzi
got pictures of it or whatnot. And the first thing
that came out they said that I was filming a movie, right.
I said, He'm not filming a movie.
Speaker 1 (18:31):
No.
Speaker 6 (18:32):
But the whole process of it is when I really
started paying attention. And then when I was getting a
chance to be Cliff Now, that was that really made
me appreciate like the Nutty Professor and all those different
type movies right where you're having to be multiple characters.
But the State Farm partnership has been so special because
(18:53):
it introduced me to a whole different audience that has
absolutely nothing.
Speaker 5 (18:58):
To do with sports, right, And.
Speaker 6 (19:02):
We took it from being these fun, funny commercials to
being very impactful in the communities, right, We've done a
number of learning centers around the country where we going
to different boys and Girls clubs and we remodel and
make sure that these kids have access to technology, and
you know, we have the assist Tracker, and I think
(19:23):
that's been the coolest thing about it is that we've
been able to show up not just as these funny commercials,
but show up in a big and impactful way. And
I'll tell you probably the number one thing when it
comes to all of these commercial spots is I had
an opportunity to play golf with President Bill Clinton years ago,
(19:43):
and I'll never forget I was at the first t
and when he got there, right because I'm waiting at
the first te and you know, the motor ke comes
pulls up and he gets out, and the first thing
he says to me is he says, I didn't know
if I was playing with Chris ll Cliffe today, you know.
Speaker 5 (19:59):
And so honestly, everywhere I go.
Speaker 6 (20:01):
People you know, now, people every time they see me,
they ask that they can race walk against me, you know.
And I'll never forget him saying that, because that's when
it really hit me. I was like, these as these commercials,
they are really seeing them, and I'm grateful for that partnership.
Speaker 5 (20:19):
And yeah, well so.
Speaker 2 (20:23):
The relationship between athletes, professional athletes, and marketing, let's talk
about that for a second. You know, it's funny when
we did the voting for this year's Advertising Hall of Achievement,
everybody who gets nominated has to be introduced by somebody,
and Alisha from American Family Insurance had I mean, it's
(20:45):
sort of shocking, like her introducer, the person who like
nominated her with Shaquille O'Neal.
Speaker 3 (20:52):
Wow, Shack got.
Speaker 2 (20:53):
Up in front of our council of judges and made
the case for why we should induct Alisha, And you're like, wow,
Like this is really something like the relationship between athletes
and the advertising industry.
Speaker 3 (21:08):
So what is it?
Speaker 2 (21:09):
I mean, I remember in twenty fourteen, Tim nud in
Adweek called you quote the NBA's most gifted endorser and
all of it. Yeah, well, there you go. Put it
on the wall, like put it in your bio on X.
But here's the thing, you've done this A lot of
(21:30):
other athletes have now done it in many in your footsteps.
Why are athletes so drawn to marketing and why are
marketers so drawn to athletes.
Speaker 5 (21:40):
And that's a really good question.
Speaker 6 (21:42):
I think first and foremost athletes are drawn to it because,
especially in the world of social media and all this stuff,
everyone is always looking at their screens, right, and then
people watch games, they watch TV, and being a part
of these really cool ads whatnot, it gives you exposure
(22:02):
and some people, depending on who you are, you may
not get an opportunity to really show your personality, right,
everyone's not necessarily on Instagram or TikTok and stuff, and
so you get an opportunity to sort of show.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
Your personality in this.
Speaker 6 (22:16):
And I think the reason why different marketers or ad
agencies want to use athletes because, especially when it comes
to the NBA, we're the most recognizable players in the country.
You know, all the other sports are great in their
own regard, but in football, obviously weren't helmets, you know.
(22:37):
That's why a lot of times you see a lot
of the quarterbacks and things like that that are an ads.
But us as players, our game is so up close
and personal, and it's one of those things that everybody
feels like they can do.
Speaker 5 (22:47):
Right. Everybody feel like they can pick up.
Speaker 6 (22:49):
A basketball and go outside, and we've done I think
a great job over the years as players of making
sure that we do that, you know, always show who
we are. And even if you look at the fashion
right like when we first came into the league, it
was well, my rookie year was when they implemented the
dress code and everybody was like.
Speaker 5 (23:10):
Man, why we got to do this? Why we got
to do that?
Speaker 6 (23:12):
And now you look at it, it's this whole it's
a whole nother business on its own because guys get
an opportunity to show their personality and it's really it's
really fun.
Speaker 2 (23:24):
From that though, you get to make choices, right because
you get pitched a lot, I'm sure, and your friends
and peers and colleagues in the league get pitched, you know,
all the time. So how are you deciding what to
say yes to and what not to say yes because
also you're a man of faith. I don't know, I mean,
where are the lines? Where are the things you're not
going to do versus the things you want to do?
Speaker 6 (23:45):
When you're younger, it's kind of hard, you know, sometimes
it's like, man, I need this money, you know, what
do you want me to hold?
Speaker 5 (23:52):
You know? But as I got older.
Speaker 6 (23:54):
I stopped doing like just deals, Like there's partnerships, you know.
Every every brand that I stand next to now is
something that I actually use and represent, you know. And
I think that is big because the people that I see,
you know, when they see me out or something like that,
they I don't want to see me holding on to
something that I don't even use, you know. And I
(24:16):
think that's the big thing with social media and everything.
Authenticity is the hardest thing for everyone to sell. And
I think that's the biggest thing that everyone wants to
grasp to. And that's why I say the biggest thing
with me and the ads or whatever it is that
I do, I'm a consumer. I'm a consumer. So when
(24:37):
I'm filming an ad or anything like that, I try
to make it as conversational or funny as possible because.
Speaker 5 (24:43):
I watch TV.
Speaker 6 (24:44):
I watch these different ads and I want to last
I see I see things too.
Speaker 5 (24:48):
And I be like, mamn, was that was good? That
was good?
Speaker 6 (24:51):
And I'm sitting at home with my family and you know,
things will pop up sometimes and you're like, Damn, that
was good.
Speaker 5 (24:58):
I need to try that.
Speaker 2 (25:00):
I wonder if like this an NBA start that you think,
like I'm glad I got this a word because they're
really good, like they're that that they're good in their ads.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
Is somebody else that you think is like really good
in ads?
Speaker 6 (25:11):
I'm trying to think you have to you have to
like show them to me, But when I watch them,
I always who can?
Speaker 3 (25:17):
I think Grandmama would probably be, oh.
Speaker 5 (25:20):
My god, that was so good. That was so good.
So I really I really liked that.
Speaker 6 (25:26):
I really liked you remember a little Penny Penny Hardaway.
Which was interesting about that is that little Penny actually
went to wake Forest. There was a book little Penny
actually went to Wake Forest. And you know what's crazy?
And everyone is their own person. And I think that's
what's so interesting for me to watch too when I
watch ads, because some guys are unbelievable stars and athletes,
(25:48):
but they may not be as comfortable speaking, right, So
when you watch an AD and you see someone else
in the spot and you see that person talking more
than the actual athlete, then that's something that mean something.
Speaker 5 (26:00):
To me, you know.
Speaker 6 (26:01):
And so everyone has their own comfort zone. And that's
what I appreciate about ads because you play, you mess
around with it, you figure out what works, and everybody's
different that's great.
Speaker 1 (26:17):
You know, Chris, you're not just seen as a basketball
superstar and an advertising leader, but you're also a force
for positive change, which is one of the reasons that
you're receiving this Special Cultural Force Award from the AAF.
Speaker 5 (26:29):
You dedicate a.
Speaker 1 (26:30):
Lot of time and personal resources to community building and engagement.
You've talked a little bit about some of that here
up until a little bit earlier, but would you tell
us just a little bit about some of your favorite initiatives,
or maybe your favorite initiative or the thing that means
the most to you that you wish you could spend
even more time and energy towards.
Speaker 6 (26:50):
You know, it's funny heavy, and I'm sorry, but sometimes
I forget all the different things that we have going on,
and I'm not sure it's just one that I want
to put all my time I'm into because everything is
a little bit different. Like I was talking about my
AAU program, so that is based out of North Carolina,
and it's so passionate to me because a lot of
(27:11):
those kids are growing up just like me, and my
whole family is a part of it, and we're just
trying to give them an opportunity to fall in love
with the game as we as we've done, started a
social change fund during the pandemic with d Wade and Carmelo,
and that's really been great because when you're younger, everyone
(27:32):
is like, what can I do? And as you get older,
you start to realize what can we do right? Because
you're so much stronger together. So just the board meetings
that we've had together.
Speaker 5 (27:43):
And the way that we've been able to make an
impact together is something that I'm so grateful for.
Speaker 6 (27:50):
We've done a number of things for HBCUs historically black
colleges and universities. Actually graduated last December from Winston Salem State.
There's just so many things as honestly, so fulfilling, you know.
I remember my coach, MANI Williams. He used to always
tell us, like on off days, anytime we had an
off day, he used to always say, go fill your cup, right,
(28:13):
go fill your cup. And I like that because, you know,
just like everyone else, we all work so hard, you know,
on the things that we do, and it's days like
this where you celebrated and I really really don't think
I should be, but I get a chance today to
spend some time with my kids and that's that's literally
(28:34):
how I feel, my cup.
Speaker 1 (28:36):
Yeah, I love that, and I really do love that
you keep referencing some of the great influences and lessons,
influences you've had on your life and lessons that you've learned,
because it seems like you've really taken those and at
this point in time, are using them to help others
and pass them on. And that is the gift of
learning in life is to be able to give back
into each other's right.
Speaker 6 (28:57):
Yes, ma'am, that's that's the real est thing. And go
back to what I said, in order to be a
great leader, you got to be able to listen. So
to tell you the truth, a lot of times, I'm
just the sum of all of my experiences, right, So
with all my coaches that I've played for the different
things that I've taken from them, that is, it's not me,
it's me just.
Speaker 5 (29:17):
Learning from them and pouring that into others.
Speaker 6 (29:20):
And I think that's the funnest thing with community, you know,
and even this community, Like I love hearing about different spots,
and you know, I always think about the Super Bowl, right,
and not just the spots that come on during the
Super Bowl. My first question is I always go to
(29:41):
a company and I'll be like, Okay, you guys paid
what for that that spot?
Speaker 5 (29:46):
How did that influence the revenue?
Speaker 6 (29:50):
I think that's the thing that's always most intriguing to me,
because you don't do these things for nothing.
Speaker 5 (29:56):
Right you don't. You definitely don't do them for nothing.
Speaker 6 (30:00):
So I've just always been intrigued about how it all worked.
Speaker 1 (30:05):
That's great. You just wrote a book, and I know
you talk a little bit about your grandfather in there,
who had a huge influence on your life. Tell us
what inspired you to write this book now, and if
you wanted to give a plug for it to our audience,
please do so.
Speaker 6 (30:19):
The book that I wrote that actually became a New
York Times bestseller.
Speaker 5 (30:24):
She man, that was work.
Speaker 6 (30:27):
That was some work, but it's probably one of the
most fulfilling things that I've done. And had no idea
that it would impact others the way it has. It
was almost like a passion piece, you know, And it
started out to be just about my relationship with my grandfather,
but it evolved and actually our head trainer for the
(30:51):
Warriors came up to me the other day and said
he's been reading it, and he said, do you realize
you wrote a parenting book too, And I said, you know,
throughout I started realizing that is that I was talking
to my kids, talking to my wife and my family
in general, and just you know, my kids live a
totally different life than me and my wife lived growing up,
(31:11):
and so you're just always trying to, like we said,
find this balance between.
Speaker 5 (31:16):
Work and family, work and family.
Speaker 6 (31:19):
And so the book is called sixty one Lessons from Papa.
My grandfather was murdered at sixty one years of age
when I was seventeen, and my very first game the
day after his funeral, I scored sixty one points. So
this has just been a way that his legacy has
lived on, and you know, I miss him, but I'm
(31:41):
glad I'm able to share his story and our story
with the rest of the world.
Speaker 1 (31:46):
Thank you, thanks for sharing that with us. Well, thank
you so much for joining us. You've given us much
more than we had even hoped for. Chris, it's been
awesome talking to you.
Speaker 6 (31:56):
I want to say thank you to you guys, and
a big thank you to the Just know that this
does not go unnoticed, Like I'm serious, like this is such.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
A hunter and a privilege, especially with the other people.
Speaker 6 (32:09):
Who are on the list, and I'm extremely humbled and
I hope that there's a lot of fun to come
over the years.
Speaker 2 (32:17):
Well, CP three, I know that you're about to start
a season playing next to the all time three point
points leader in Steph Curry, but he's not in the
American Advertising Federation's Hall of Achievement and he did not
get this award, and so I hope he feels a
little bit jealous of you beyond just your basketball abilities,
(32:39):
but as Tim Dunn said, one of the best advertising
guys ever in the NBA. So thank you for everything
you're doing for our industry and for bringing your full.
Speaker 3 (32:49):
Self to it.
Speaker 2 (32:50):
The two of us really appreciate having you on season
two of our podcast.
Speaker 5 (32:54):
Thank you guys, I appreciate you.
Speaker 3 (32:57):
Well.
Speaker 2 (32:57):
That does it for this episode of the Future led
Us of Advertising podcast on iHeart.
Speaker 1 (33:03):
I'm Ross Martin and I'm Hailey Romer, and thank you
for listening. We'll be back with another episode before you
know it. And for more information on the American Advertising Federation,
go to AAF dot org.
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