Black With a Red Swoosh
When Jordan and Nike agreed to debut the new line of "Air Jordan" basketball shoes, the original design did not meet NBA guidelines for uniformity of jerseys. Jordan's infamous shoes, black with a red swoosh, somehow didn't match the Bulls' jerseys to NBA satisfaction. Three games into the season, the NBA banned the shoe and fined Jordan $5,000 for every game he wore the shoe. The ban caused a great stir and generated Nike and Jordan unimaginable amounts of publicity. Now, easily the most recognized basketball shoe ever designed, the Air Jordan campaign is a primary example of successful sports marketing.
Worth Their Weight in Gold
Nowadays, top athletes are multimillion-dollar brands, coveted not only by teams, but also by agencies, companies, and committees, because of the major influence they have on consumers. Companies are willing to spend incredible sums of money on athlete endorsements. Tiger Woods, once seen as marketing gold, made more money through endorsement than any other athlete. In 2009, Forbes confirmed that Tiger Woods earned over $1 billion in his career through marketing alone.
Brand LoyaltySeveral companies use sports marketing to associate attributes— such as success, performance, and passion—with their brands. From minor league baseball to the World Cup, marketers spend millions trying to obtain brand loyalty and success. As is evident by Nike’s Air Jordan campaign, a well-known athlete can add substantial value to a product. Without Jordan as a sponsor, Nike would not only have lost a product but also brand loyalty. Top performing athletes, like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, have become an integral part of marketing strategy and a wise investment for sports marketers worldwide.
* Weixlmann, B. (2008, May 30). Air Jordan: The Best Sports Marketing Campaign Ever. Bleacher Report.
Joseph and I read MJ's autobiography a couple weeks ago. It was all sorts of motivating. He wore the shoes every game, and Nike was happy to pay the fine, because of all the money the whole situation generated. Also, when the NBA tried to tell him he couldn't play any basketball at all during the off-season, he wouldn't have it. So they put in his contract what's called the "Love of the game" clause. Very few have it. It lets him play whenever he wants, because he can't not.
ReplyDeletewhat can I say, HE'S THE MAN!!!! p.s. I'm glad you read my blog ;)
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