• by Karl Greenberg , December 30, 2015

Harman got some serious hoops credibility for its JBL brand’s Pulse 2 portable Bluetooth speaker, when the audio company tapped NBA superstar Stephen Curry and basketballer/rapper Damian Lillard for a 2:19 story-based film, "Listen in Color." 

JBL was front and center with the film on Christmas Day as the primary sponsor of the ABC Halftime show during the Warriors vs. Cavaliers game and the Chicago Bulls vs. Oklahoma City Thunder game. Those sponsorship packages included signage and other highlights. JBL also had a digital component on Dec. 23 and 25 with a takeover of NBA.com to drive visitors to JBL.com/Pulse.

The film is the result of a collaboration between the wireless audio company, L.A.-based Amusement Park Entertainment, Curry, and Lillard. But some music icons also got into the mix: legendary bassist Bootsy Collins wrote a song for the film, and Quincy Jones' son helped on the production end, per Jimmy Smith, chairman, CEO and CCO of Amusement Park Entertainment.

The film features the Golden State Warriors point guard bringing color to a 1930s-style black-and-white game. In the video, Curry hits the court after turning on the JBL Pulse up in the bleachers, as the other players stop, confused by the old-school Bootsy sounds coming from the Pulse speaker. As the audio device pulses along to the music with its array of colors, the game continues, and as the ball is passed from player to player, the game also becomes colorized. Then the song morphs into Damian Lillard's tune.   

Harman premiered a 90-second version of the film during the Cleveland vs. Golden State game on ABC and then again during the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Clippers game on ESPN. The film and songs are also now on www.JBL.com/Pulse. And audiences can Shazam the TV ads. “We were fortunate to partner with Stephen before he began one of the most epic streaks in NBA history,” said Ralph Santana, global CMO of Harman, in a statement. “We knew early on that he was special and this film represents that visually.” 

Smith says that both Bootsy's and Lillard's songs were developed exclusively for Amusement Park. But there's a backstory to all of this: before starting Amusement Park, Smith worked at TBWA\Chiat\Day on the Gatorade account, where he helped usher forth the brand's "G" rebranding. At that time, he explains, Santana was at PepsiCo, as was Lauren Hobart, who in 2011 went on to become CMO of Dick's Sporting Goods. Smith left Chiat that same year and started Amusement Park with IPG as minority owner.

In February this year, he explains, Amusement Park launched a branded content/advertising arm via acquisition of L.A.-based DGWB Advertising. Smith says the opportunity to create the project came from the past associations. "Harman had signed [Curry] just before he won MVP, and Lauren recommended Amusement Park [to Santana]." Smith says he had actually met Santana briefly when Smith stepped away from working on Gatorade to work on "Pepsi Refresh" while at Chiat.  

He says the film was shot with famed director Joe Pytka, and also involved Quincy Jones III. Bootsy Collins is frontman for the a ‘70s-feel original tune for the film. Both that tune and the Damian Lillard song are on iTunes. Of the Bootsy tune, which precedes Lillard's rap tune in the film, Smith says, "We wanted a song that felt old school, late ‘60s. Bootsy rounded up some rockers, and wrote 'Just Believe in Love' with a ‘70s sound, like the Doobie Brothers or Guess Who." 

Harmon premiered a 90-second version of the film during the Cleveland vs. Golden State game on ABC and then again during the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Clippers game on ESPN. The film and song are also on www.JBL.com/Pulse. And audiences can Shazam the TV ads, and use this branded experience to both view the film in its entirety and purchase the song “Bigger Than Us” on iTunes.