In this inspirational ad from Wieden + Kennedy for Powerade, a boy who represents a young Derrick Rose rides through the south side of Chicago to a voiceover by Tupac Shakur—the late rapper's first narration of a commercial.
"You see, you wouldn't ask why the rose that grew from the concrete had damaged petals," Shakur says. "On the contrary, we would all celebrate its tenacity. We would all love its will to reach the sun. Well, we are the roses. This is the concrete. These are my damaged petals. Don't ask me why. Ask me how."
The bike ride from the South Side to the United Center reflects Rose's journey from the streets of Englewood, through adversity, to the NBA. The scenes then change to the present day, with the recently injured Bulls point guard drinking a Powerade courtside. Copy flashes, "We're all just a kid from somewhere," and the spot ends with a Rose wearing a "Just a kid from Chicago" sweatshirt.
The #powerthrough hashtag seems poignant in light of Rose's recent injuries. And of course, using lines from "The Rose That Grew Through Concrete" is almost too lovely and perfect.
CREDITS
Client: Powerade
Agency: Wieden + Kennedy
Production Company: Smuggler
Director: Jaron Albertin