Detroit Pistons bring out the stars in new 'Always Detroit Basketball' campaign
Ty Mopkins built plenty of childhood memories as a fan of the Detroit Pistons — making the trip downtown to Cobo Arena, the "Classy Chassis" cheerleading squad picking him up and carrying him around the stadium, and of course, the fanfare that came with the Bad Boys’ 1989 and 1990 NBA championships.
Now, the Detroit-based designer is the face of the team’s latest brand campaign: “Always Detroit Basketball.” Mopkins is the narrator of the Pistons’ new commercial spot unveiled Thursday, highlighting several local rappers, designers and artists alongside team legends Rick Mahorn, Ben Wallace and public address announcer John Mason.
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“We came aboard with the Pistons when hip-hop really flourished and took off in ‘89 and ‘90,” Mopkins, whose Starter jacket collaborations have been sported by Chauncey Billups, Rip Hamilton, Big Sean and other local celebrities and athletes, told the Free Press. “That’s why the Bad Boys theme came up. That’s why when you hear Public Enemy’s 'Fight The Power,' you think of the ‘89 Pistons. You think about the grind and the hard work and the dedication, and you think about some of those players, too. To us, Isiah Thomas was our leader and our god. He gave us a voice when the city was actually voiceless, not only in sports but just as a city in general.
“It’s like a match made in heaven, and a dream come true for a kid from the west side of Detroit.”
Mopkins said his relationship with the Pistons began at birth, but the organization made the relationship officiall in recent years by collaborating with him on team apparel designs. Last season, Mopkins designed two teal-themed Pistons jackets for 313 Day that were sold on the team’s website.
The new commercial, which was released on the Pistons’ social media accounts Thursday and will air on local networks, features rappers Royce da 5'9" and Kash Doll, muralist Jason Phillips and fashion designer Desyree Nicole. It was directed by Michael Medoway, and the soundtrack was created by local producer and DJ 14KT.
Several players from the team, including Cade Cunningham and Jaden Ivey, are also featured.
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The spot continues the Pistons’ embrace of the city of Detroit and its culture after moving back to the city from Auburn Hills in 2017.
“When I think of Detroit, I think of the trendsetters, the culture creators, the on and off-court swag,” said Bilal Saeed, Pistons vice president of brand & marketing strategy. “We wanted to represent that in the spot. You can’t fake that. I think teaming up with people like Ty, and especially with folks like Royce, Kash, it brings that level of connectivity to what we’re talking about. It’s not just, like, 'Oh, we want to incorporate more art, music and fashion.' We have relationships with these folks on a bigger level because we all understand that the Pistons isn’t just about the hoops. It’s about what it means to the culture.”
“You look at anywhere, Detroit is the hub for everything now whether it’s fashion, film, music, television, music, movies,” Mopkins added. “Now everybody’s catching up for what we’ve been trying to scream and yell for years.”
The Pistons’ season tipped off Wednesday in Miami, a 103-102 loss, and continues Friday at Charlotte. The Pistons open their home slate Saturday against the Chicago Bulls.
MUST LISTEN: Pistons vice chairman Arn Tellem joined 'The Pistons Pulse' podcast this week. Listen below and be sure to subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify). Watch a clip from the podcast with Tellem at the top of the page.
Contact Omari Sankofa II at osankofa@freepress.com. Follow him @omarisankofa.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pistons new brand campaign, hype video: 'Always Detroit Basketball'
