Michael Jordan almost left Nike in 1991. Yes, the man who pushed the brand to the top almost left them high and dry. But why didn’t he?
Advertisement
How does a brand even let go of an athlete who built the whole thing? Fortunately for Nike, they don’t have to answer this question.
But, there was a time when Michael Jordan almost left Nike. Yes, as unbelievable as that might sound, His Airness was ready to jump ship. Michael was not satisfied with the Air Jordan 2.
Adidas, Nike’s arch-rivals were ready to swoop in. Despite the overwhelming fears of his departure, he did not leave. The reason? A certain designer named Tinker Hatfield had come on board.
He was in charge of designing the successor to the Air Jordan 2s, the shoe that the Bulls legend famously hated. Tinker got to work and the result was a shoe that impressed everyone, including Jordan himself.
At the time, there was another African-American entering the limelight, Spike Lee. His movie She’s gotta have it is making the waves in Brooklyn. Soon, Spike Lee was a household name.
We know how the story goes…
MJ was ready to leave Nike and had his eyes set on adidas. Enter Tinker Hatfield and the Air Jordan 3. Meanwhile in Brooklyn, ‘She’s Gotta Have It’ makes Spike Lee a household name. Enter Wieden+Kennedy linking Spike and MJ.
The rest is history. pic.twitter.com/bPgoI5qIaH
— ©️ Mr. Marin (@MrMarinKnows) February 17, 2022
The partnership that convinced Michael Jordan to stay on board and helped Spike Lee become a household name!
Nike decided to take the help of Spike and use him in ads featuring Michael and the new Air Jordan 3s. Directed by Wieden and Kennedy, the ads are some of the most recognizable ones from the Jordan era.
The “It must be the shoes!” ad sets are basically unforgettable. Spike Lee asks a young MJ what makes him so special? Iconic.
A classic Nike ad with Spike Lee and Michael Jordan. pic.twitter.com/lAbIXjUmYb
— All The Right Movies (@ATRightMovies) April 16, 2022
The other one is appropriately called “hang time”. Featuring MJ and Spike once again, this time Spike reprises his role as Mars Blackmon and talks about his secret for being the best player on Mars. It’s Air Jordans.
Feb 21, 1988: the Nike commercial “Hang Time” with Michael Jordan & Spike Lee (as Mars Blackmon) aired for the 1st time. #80s pic.twitter.com/T2JI0siP0U
— Old School 80s (@OldSchool80s) February 21, 2022
Spike Lee. Michael Jordan. Sneakers. Studio shots. This 1980s advertisement is an example of Nike’s marketing strategy to use riveting portraits of athletes. #Archives80s
[👟: Nike Advertising Oral History and Documentation Collection, Archives Center] pic.twitter.com/kuHgIOQzkK— National Museum of American History (@amhistorymuseum) August 8, 2018
It remains one of the greatest feats in advertising. Nike managed to convince Michael Jordan to stay on board and use the power of a rising star like Spike Lee. That is the reason why it is the biggest brand in the world.
