When the Cleveland Cavaliers trailed the Golden State Warriors two games to none in the NBA Finals and things looked bleak, ad agency Tier10 shot an inspiring spot for the Northern Ohio Honda Dealers Association about the power of belief.
The narrator declares, "It takes a city to raise a team" and "It takes pain to push us farther."
The script resonates even more after the Cavs' historic win. No battle-scarred native Clevelanders were on the creative team, but Cleveland's sports culture had rubbed off on Tier10.
"We've had this account for awhile. When you spend enough time in the market, it's hard for it not to ooze out and get into us," said Scott Fletcher, Tier10's co-founder. "Every time we have a meeting in market, no matter what sports season it is, all they talk about is sports. It is such an important aspect of the culture in Cleveland."