Giving Derrick His Flowers: A Legacy Celebrated

The Midnight Club, a London-based creative company known for its bold and culturally resonant campaigns, partnered with adidas Basketball to celebrate the legendary career of Derrick Rose. This multifaceted campaign, conceptualised and executed by The Midnight Club, paid homage to Rose’s remarkable journey, highlighting his deep connection to Chicago and his indelible impact on basketball and culture.

At the core of the campaign was a large-scale floral installation created by multidisciplinary artist Mr. Flower Fantastic. This artwork, developed and designed by The Midnight Club’s New York team in collaboration with adidas Basketball and MFF Studios, featured over 100,000 flowers. It depicted Rose in his iconic number 1 Chicago Bulls jersey, symbolising his historic achievements as the youngest MVP in NBA history and his enduring influence on the sport. To date, the campaign has earned more than 3M social engagements and has achieved social coverage from influential accounts like @Complex, @Hypebeast, @NBA, @Cole, @ESPN and @NiceKicks. 

Key elements

Floral Installation Unveiling:

• On January 3rd, adidas Basketball and Derrick Rose revealed the installation on social media.

• Fans were invited to Clybourn Park in Chicago to view the artwork up close or from an adidas-branded double-decker bus.

​Fan engagement:

• Over 1,500 adidas x D Rose-branded roses were distributed to attendees at Clybourn Park.

• The campaign extended to the United Center Atrium during ‘Derrick Rose Night’ at the Bulls-Knicks game, where 5,000 roses were handed out in under 30 minutes.

Pop-up flower shop:

• On January 2nd, Rose hosted a one-day pop-up flower shop, where fans could send 16 roses to someone they wished to thank. Derrick personally delivered bouquets to four of his local heroes.

T-Shirt giveaway:

• Every seat in the United Centre was adorned with an adidas x D Rose t-shirt, creating a unified tribute to Rose’s career.

Campaign metrics & impact:

• Over three million engagements across owned, earned, and partner channels.

• Influential social accounts like @Complex, @Hypebeast, @NBA, @Cole, @Rap, and @NiceKicks contributed to over 1.84 million engagements.

• adidas and Derrick Rose’s social content generated more than six million video views and 1.4 million engagements between January 3-6th.

• Rose’s ‘Roses For Chicago’ Instagram carousel drove nearly one million engagements, while the ‘Becoming A Rose’ film achieved 4.1 million video views.

• The event at Clybourn Park spurred over 200,000 online mentions, with fans forming lines stretching several blocks to receive branded roses.

• Roses distributed at the United Center “sold out” in less than 25 minutes.

Austin Lacter, Managing Director of The Midnight Club NYC, commented: “Derrick Rose’s story holds a special place in Chicago and among basketball fans globally. Together with adidas Basketball, we saw an opportunity to celebrate his legacy and the mutual love between Derrick, his fans, and the city of Chicago. This campaign offered a moment of nostalgia, celebration, and community.”

The Derrick Rose campaign was a testament to The Midnight Club’s ability to craft culturally impactful narratives that resonate deeply with audiences. By blending artistry, fan engagement, and strategic storytelling, the campaign not only honored Derrick Rose’s legacy but also strengthened the bond between adidas, Rose, and his fans, setting a benchmark for sports marketing excellence.