Athletic marketer Nike has indirectly called on the talents of Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim to help it market a new apparel line endorsed by tennis superstar and Nike endorser Maria
Sharapova. A new multimedia ad campaign for the line is themed "I Feel Pretty" after the song made famous by Bernstein (music) and Sondheim (lyrics) in the stage and screen classic "West Side Story."
A TV spot features Maria in one of her new Nike tennis outfits in her hotel room, then follows her as she is driven to the tennis stadium and walks onto center court. En route, she passes workers in
the hotel, fans, players and members of the media, who all sing "I Feel Pretty." Ultimately, the entire crowd in the tennis stadium is singing. But they are silenced when the match begins, and
Sharapova lets out one of her classic grunts as she returns a serve. Others featured in the new spot include John McEnroe, Patrick McEnroe and two-time tennis Olympic gold medalist Mary Joe Fernandez.
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