• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, February 9, 2017

With the door finally shut on football season, sports brands are changing the channel: Nike is unveiling new documentary-style films about young NBA legends, while Reebok spent 24 hours demolishing 44 different Guinness World Records.

Nike is turning its "Come Out Of Nowhere" campaign, launched with LeBron James several months ago, into a series of short documentary-type films, showcasing rising NBA stars Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), Isaiah Thomas (Boston Celtics) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee Bucks.)

Nike’s agency, Wieden+Kennedy, developed the initial LeBron spot, with King James voicing some of his most powerful inspiration yet, back in October. (It’s already racked up more 10 million views.)

These new films, however, are created by Cycle, the New York-based content agency. First up is Booker’s story, which tracks him back to Moss Point, Mississippi, covers the defining event that put him on the national stage, and how he became the No. 13 draft pick at just 18.

“Each of these guys has a unique story,” says Josh Benedek, a Nike spokesman, “and they’re all on the cusp of becoming household names. We wanted to follow the arc of their stories in ways that are authentic to each athlete.”

The creative challenge, he tells Marketing Daily, is doing so in a way that helps Nike. “The Suns could have made a video about Booker, for example, and so could ESPN. We wanted the stories to be engaging, but also have close, tight shots of the footwear, as well as mentions of other Nike players.”

He says the spots will run on Nike channels, including Twitter, Instagram and the Nike + app, as well as through Cycle’s social networks. And he says Nike is likely to introduce additional “Come From Nowhere” content towards the NCAA tournament.

Reebok, wanting to make a splash for its new CrossFit Nano 7, geared for the intense-fitness crowd, set up all kinds of contests in four different cities. The 44 new records range from thing most mortals would understand, like most lunges in a minute (70 by a male, 64 by female) to the semi-imaginable, such as most handstand pushups in a minute (the new record is 12.) But—this is CrossFit, after all—the attempts also include feats in the “Humans can actually do that?” category, like most barbell back somersaults (4), or most chin-ups while wearing a 100-pound pack (that would be 12.)

Reebok, owned by Adidas, says the event, which occurred simultaneously in London, Sydney, L.A. and New York, is meant to highlight the shoe’s versatility. It made a short film capturing the four-city record smash-athon. (A spokesperson tells Marketing Daily M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment made the video.)