The IronDog Chronicles

Where did time go?…

We have gone 25 years since the launch of the Air Jordan, and we watched the brand grow from a underdog wonder to a branding behemoth.  The fact is that despite Mike’s retirement for the past seven years, we’re still mesmerized by the ‘win’ image that the brand represents.

How powerful is the Jumpman logo.  Well, this blogga still remembers the conversation at House of Hoops in Manhattan etched the memory bank. When he House of Hoops clerk was asked why kids and teens still buy the Jumpman over the Nike LBJ (LeBron’s line), the quick reply simply said it all.  “The dude has no rings.”  Discussion settled.

With the ‘23′ for 25 years in celebratory mode, Brand Jordan is having an whirlwind of a weekend to launch the Air Jordan 2010 and to celebrate the brand’s 25th Silver Anniversary.

One of the cool commemorative events that the marketing aficionados at Brand Jordan instituted is the 23/25 Energy Experience at this weekend’s All-Star Game.  Check out the pics here from NiceKicks.com…Hot stuff.

The brand managers for Brand Jordan know how to throw a party to draw fans for the experience.  Brand Jordan is displaying a powerful lesson in experiential marketing with performances from hipsters Wale and DJs Bobbito and Rich Medina to an interactive wall that explores the 25 years of Air Jordan, to offering free laser-etching of the Nike ‘Flight’ and Jumpman logos on iPhones and laptops.

The ‘cool’ factor still stems from the excellence on the court.  Yet, give a kudos to sharp and sleek experiential marketing and brand integration with an event like the NBA All-Star Game.  The transformed space is not only fresh for fans, but also maintains the luxury prestige for an athletic wear brand.

Another sharp switch is this year’s promotion of Dwayne Wade to chief spokesman of the Jumpman Brand on-the-court.

Over the past decade, the brand took a hard jab-step to appeal to a more hard-core urban image with promoting Carmelo Anthony and Richard Hamilton as the main spokespeople for the brand.  The move to shift ‘D-Wade’ from Converse to Jordan Brand stable of athletes such as Chris Paul and Derek Jeter not only is a cleaner look for the brand, but also Wade passes the litmus test of ‘winning’ which successful for other mass-brands such as T-Mobile and Gatorade.

If you haven’t checked out the TV ad because you have been zipping through commercials via DVR, check out the ad here.  (Kind of a throwback to the ‘Frozen Moment’, peoples..Compare below the previous to check out the influence.  The critic here says ‘thumbs-up’ for keeping the heritage alive.)

Along with the television ad, Brand Jordan plastered across every medium to promote the launch of the Air Jordan 2010.

Now, with the celebration of the Silver Anniversary, please remember that the roots are in Chicago, peoples.  Hopefully, the alliance between Wade and Brand Jordan is a small sign that he’s coming back to run a South Side play with Derrick Rose. 

Now, that would be a reason to throw a party.  

1985-2010,

BD