LeBron James and Lionel Messi star in Beats by Dre’s latest ad

In its latest advertising effort, Beats by Dre has brought together three of sports' most recognisable faces: basketballer LeBron James, footballer Lionel Messi, and baseball player Shohei Ohtani. The two-minute film, created by independent Black-owned creative agency Translation, showcases the athletes in their respective domains—basketball court, football pitch, and batting cage—while Wu-Tang Clan's rapper RZA provides narration.

The campaign, promoting the Powerbeats Pro 2 wireless earbuds, follows a familiar format in sports advertising: dramatic build-ups, intensity-building heartbeats, and focused athletes in their element. Yet the combination of three generational talents from different sporting disciplines creates a notable spectacle.

This approach to athlete partnerships has been central to Beats' marketing strategy since its early days. When the brand emerged in 2006, it faced an interesting challenge: established competitor Bose held official partnerships with major American sports leagues, including the NFL, NBA, and MLB. Former CMO Omar Johnson responded by targeting a different space entirely—the locker room.

This unconventional approach proved significant. The brand's presence expanded beyond pre-game preparations into music videos, featuring alongside artists like Eminem, Lady Gaga, and Nicki Minaj.

A pivotal moment came in 2013 with the "Hear What You Want" campaign. The advertisement featured basketball player Kevin Garnett using Beats headphones to block out media criticism and fan heckling, set to Aloe Blacc's "I'm the Man." This marked a shift in the brand's advertising approach, moving beyond product placement into narrative-driven content.

Following Apple's $3 billion acquisition in 2014, Beats has maintained its focus on athlete partnerships. Recent campaigns have featured footballer Erling Haaland training in Norwegian woods, while in September 2024, the brand worked with Indian cricket player Shubman Gill and actress Ananya Panday.

The latest campaign continues this tradition of sporting partnerships, bringing together three athletes at the peak of their respective sports. While the formula may be familiar—athletes, action, and atmospheric music—the combination of James, Messi, and Ohtani represents a notable convergence of sporting talent in advertising.

Over its history, Beats has featured numerous other prominent athletes, including footballer Harry Kane and former tennis champion Serena Williams, establishing a consistent presence at the intersection of sport, music, and technology. The current campaign, with its trio of sporting icons, appears to be the latest chapter in this ongoing narrative.