NBA's New Advertising Campaign: "Baby, I'm Sorry"

In an effort to win back fans disillusioned by the recent game fixing scandal involving referee Tim Donaghy, the NBA unveiled a new direction for its new marketing theme for the upcoming season.

Though the details of the campaign are still under development, commissioner David Stern confirmed that the NBA's new slogan for the 207-2008 season will in fact be "Baby, I'm Sorry." The advertisements, scheduled to begin airing in early September, will feature a music video-style format with artists like Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill, and Bobby Brown whispering sultry, sensuous apologies over an early 90s R&B soundtrack.

A sneak peek at one of the advertisements currently being developed revealed a black and white video of a sharply dressed Keith Sweat staring sexually into the camera while breathily muttering "Baby, I'm sorry. I never meant to let that man come between us. He's gone now, baby. It's just you and me. Please, baby. Come back to me..."

The campaign, developed by San Francisco-based Goodby, Silverstein & Partners, marks a bold but necessary departure from the league's previous branding efforts like "I Love This Game," which focused more on the aesthetic and social appeal of the league.