“The Dance Never Ends”: NBA Releases New Publicity Videos

With less than a month remaining until the NBA playoffs begin, the league released a series of new March Madness-themed publicity videos on its website on Monday. The videos, using “The Dance Never Ends” as a slogan, feature stars Russell Westbrook, Klay Thompson and Al Horford sharing how the NCAA Tournament prepared them for the NBA Playoffs.

There are two ways to take this campaign. The first is that it’s smart marketing to utilize the synergy between the college and professional game to promote the NBA. The NCAA Tournament is one of the biggest events on the sports calendar, and has had a considerable impact on many of the league’s players. Sometimes a business should latch onto what’s hot.

The second, more cynical view of the campaign is that it’s propaganda to help push the NBA’s efforts to raise the age limit in the next Collective Bargaining Agreement. It’s no secret commissioner Adam Silver wants players to spend two years in college before entering the NBA draft. Having recognizable stars telling fans how vital college was to their personal and professional development is a good way to sway public opinion.

Regardless of how fans feel about the videos, any marketing campaign that does not feature Pitbull is a step in the right direction.