Adding to their #PowerThrough campaign, Powerade debuted an inspiring commercial on Thursday with Derrick Rose as the subject, and poetry from Tupac Shakur as the backdrop.
In the ad, the poem, “The Rose That Grew from Concrete,” is narrated by Tupac, who had written the verse when he was 19-years-old. The video shows a young Derrick riding through the south side of Chicago to the United Center, which is said to reflect Rose’s journey from childhood adversities to the NBA.
“You see, you wouldn’t ask why the rose that grew from the concrete had damaged petals,” Tupac says. “On the contrary, we would all celebrate its tenacity. We would all love its will to reach the sun. Well, we are the roses. This is the concrete. These are my damaged petals. Don’t ask me why. Ask me how.”
Powerade’s commercial came from the minds of Wieden+Kennedy — and following Rose’s recent injuries, “The Rose That Grew from Concrete” seems an all too fitting motivation for the Chicago Bulls player.
