We've seen LeBron James mature in front of our very eyes over the last 20 years he's been active in the NBA. From his countless career highlights, to his playful antics on his own social media, his film appearances and everything in between, we've witnessed him take on countless roles. However, the one role that we've never seen explored in the public eye, is what LeBron's like as a father. Going into the 2022 holiday season, Beats wanted to capture the spirit of family with the father-son duo of LeBron (Beats' longest partner) and Bronny James (Beats' newest NIL athlete) and show them in a more personal, never-before-seen light.

“Fatherhood” explored a more emotional side of their relationship through the eyes of LeBron as he reminisces on his journey as a dad in the wake of Bronny turning 18. As we explored the story, we were mindful of the fact that Black fatherhood has seldom been celebrated in society at large. So in telling the story of LeBron and Bronny, we wanted our film not only to depict LeBron’s vulnerability but also to serve as an ode to Black fatherhood. To tell the story of “Fatherhood,” we used never-before-seen videos and photos of LeBron and Bronny over the years. We complemented the archival footage by capturing LeBron and Bronny’s unique shared handshake along with a new track from Grammy-nominated artist, Leon Thomas, who brought a soulful depth to the film.

When we talk about Beats, it all begins with one name - LeBron. Since Beats partnered with him back in 2008, he’s been an inseparable part of the Beats identity. Over a decade later, in a full circle moment, it was time to launch basketball's new big deal and introduce LeBron’s oldest son, Bronny James, to Beats. With the brand’s legacy athlete and his son as Beats’ first NIL sign, we wanted to create a piece that not only showed two generations of basketball greatness, but also bridge the gap between Beats past present and future. The film aimed to show the more intimate side of the James family relationship, targeting the millennials that grew up with LeBron, while introducing the Gen Z audience to the next generation of basketball and Beats with Bronny.

We launched the film on social media during one of Bronny’s high school games where we witnessed the sons of two historical NBA players, LBJ and Carmelo Anthony, face off against each other. The moment marked the next generation of basketball talent stepping into the game. “Fatherhood” was posted to Beats-owned channels (Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Twitter, Facebook), as well as LeBron and Bronny’s channels and even supported through partners like Leon Thomas (the artist behind the film’s track). Over the course of the next few weeks, we released supporting assets to social across all accounts to help sustain the conversation around LeBron, Bronny, and Beats well into the holiday season.

“Fatherhood” sparked incredible reactions from our audience across platforms and touched the hearts of countless parents who have experienced similar journeys with their own children. We received nearly 10 million views and over 200 million impressions, and by tapping into the James family’s heritage with Beats, we kept the brand top of mind for the holiday season, all while showing a side of LeBron the world has never seen.