Strategy February 25, 2020
Kobe Memorabilia Given at Memorial Service
Commemorative Kobe and Gianna branded T-shirts, tickets, programs and pins were provided.
Stars from the worlds of sports and entertainment joined Los Angeles Lakers fans in packing the Staples Center in Downtown LA on Monday night to pay tribute to Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna, who both tragically died in a helicopter crash on Jan. 26. Kobe was 41; Gianna was just 13.
Kobe Bryant with wife Vanessa and daughters Gianna and Natalia. Kobe and Gianna passed away in a January helicopter crash.
The emotionally charged celebration of life was filled with what many described as heart-tugging moments, including speeches from Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, and NBA great Michael Jordan.
To commemorate the special night and the lives of Bryant and his daughter, attendees received memorabilia that included a T-shirt, keepsake ticket, pin and photo-rich program.
Ticket holders given T-shirt, program, commemorative ticket, button. Inside staples center for #KobeBryant #GiannaBryant celebration of life. @FOXLA
— Christine Devine (@DevineNews) February 24, 2020
Waiting for my friends to allow me to announce one of the speakers. pic.twitter.com/t7pTwNMqXI
Everyone at @kobebryant memorial are given these items when they enter. pic.twitter.com/VTPvIBwsXQ
— Elex Michaelson (@Elex_Michaelson) February 24, 2020
The memorabilia featured images of Bryant and his daughter together. The graphics were based on happy photos taken of the two over the years.
The keepsakes, with their moving imagery, connect with a theme Counselor picked up on in a commentary piece published in January – namely, that thoughtful, tastefully conceived and executed branded merchandise can serve as the foundation for powerful messages and contribute to everything from commemoration to catharsis when tragedy strikes.
In the immediate aftermath of Bryant’s passing, demand for his merchandise soared. That led to a proliferation of knock-offs and questions about unscrupulous profiting on tragedy, but the fact remained that people en masse wanted the merch – something tangible to cement the connection they felt to one of the greatest basketball players of all time and one of the most influential athletes of his generation.