The Legacy of Michael Jordan
Jumpman Logo Recognized as Symbol of Basketball and Marketing Genius
Aug 16, 2007 Justin Harrington
In 1984 the National Basketball Association experienced one of the best draft classes in history. Hakeem Olajuwon went first to the Houston Rockets, Charles Barkley became a Philadelphia 76er with the fifth selection, and John Stockton joined the Utah Jazz with the 16th pick. But the most notable draft pick that year was selected third by the Chicago Bulls after Portland drafted Sam Bowie, possibly the biggest draft disappointment ever. Bowie would play 10 mediocre seasons, averaging 10.9 points-per-game, while the Bulls' Michael Jordan would win 5 NBA MVP awards and 6 NBA Championships during a career that solidified him as arguably the best to ever play the game. This successful career on the court also led to a wildly successful career off of it that began during Jordan's rookie season after a meeting with Phil Knight, the head of Nike.
Jordan Wins On and Off the Court During Rookie Season
Jordan was reluctant at first to meet with Nike about an endorsement deal. He loved Adidas and wore Converse shoes during his playing days at North Carolina. But neither Adidas nor Converse was able to offer the 21-year-old an attractive enough deal and he signed with Nike. Nike immediately started work on the first Air Jordan shoe, to be released in 1985. The initial five-year agreement stated that if Nike had amassed $3 million in sales of the Air Jordans after the third year, Jordan didn't have to meet any on-the-court performance quotas to continue the contract. Nike earned approximately $130 million in the first year alone and Jordan earned NBA rookie-of-the-year honors after being the Bulls' leader in scoring, rebounding, assists, and steals. This was the true beginning of an NBA legend and a worldwide marketing empire.
Jordan Starts a Revolution
When the first Air Jordan was released it shocked the athletic shoe industry. While most athletic shoes were white in color this revolutionary shoe mixed unconventional red and black colors and was viewed by the NBA as a violation of its footwear policy. Jordan ignored a ban issued by the league and wore the shoes at the risk of being fined, which he was for as much as $5,000 per game. Nike paid the fines in order to keep the shoes on Jordan's feet and it served them very well in putting the Air Jordan shoe in the public eye.
All Good Brands Deserve a Logo
After the first two Air Jordan shoes, Peter Moore, the lead designer, left Nike. Tinker Hatfield was now the one in charge of designing the Air Jordan. Hatfield came across a sketch that Moore had done based on a photograph of Jordan in his trademark spread-eagle dunk pose. Hatfield incorporated this sketch into the Air Jordan III and the "Jumpman" logo became the definitive symbol of the Jordan brand. Nike's "Swoosh" symbol was moved to the back of the shoe and was eventually removed altogether starting with the Air Jordan VII.
Jordan Sets Off a Marketing Blitz
In 1988, advertising agency Weiden & Kennedy created an advertisement campaign featuring Jordan and filmmaker Spike Lee. Lee played Mars Blackmon, a goofy character who sharply contrasted Jordan's personality but became lovable to many as his sidekick and pitchman for the Air Jordan shoe line. In these television ads Mars popularized the phrase, "Is it the shoes?" when asking Jordan what makes him the best basketball player in the universe. This successful campaign lasted into the early 1990s and reappeared briefly in 2003 when Jordan announced his third and final retirement from the game.
Aside from Nike, Jordan also had successful marketing partnerships with Gatorade with his "Be Like Mike" campaign and McDonald's with his "Nothing But Net" campaign that featured a one-on-one shooting contest with Larry Bird.
The Rebirth of a Brand
When the Air Jordan XIII was released in 1997 it marked a milestone for the Jordan brand. Brand Jordan broke away from Nike, Inc. to become its own entity within the company and its products would no longer feature Nike's logo or name. Brand Jordan became strong enough to stand on its own and its success continues to transcend Jordan's own playing career.
They Don't Make 'Em Like They Used To
Jordan entered the NBA at a time where what he did on the hardwood dictated what happened off of it in terms of marketing. Nowadays, a lot of young players are forced to live up to a sometimes overinflated potential that is dictated by marketing efforts before they play their first professional game. Jordan has set a hefty benchmark for both game play and marketing and in every successive NBA draft class they'll be at least one player hoping to be like Mike.
To find out more about Jordan's extraordinary sports and business careers read Driven From Within by Michael Jordan (edited by Mark Vancil)
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