"The Jordan brand was driven by what I did every night playing the game" - Michael Jordan on coming into the NBA and earning his stripes as a star, from a throwback excerpt in the book Driven From Within
Only an elite few in sports are as synonymous with greatness as Michael Jordan. His relentless drive, clutch ability, dedication and passion made him the greatest basketball player of all time. However, becoming a globally recognizable brand takes a lot more than that.
Jordan was able to crack the code and translate his mind-blowing on-court accomplishments into a lucrative brand that had a lasting impact. The Jordan brand was established in 1984 for a young MJ and grew into one of the most impactful sneaker brands in history largely due to His Airness' relentless drive to compete and be miles above the rest.
In his autobiography Driven from Within, edited by Mark Vancil, Michael Jordan gave us a peek into his mindset and what drove him to be the best on the court and in his business ventures. In an excerpt from the book, Jordan spoke about how he had to earn his stripes and how his on-court accomplishments drove the marketing for the Jordan brand and not the other way around.
Here's what MJ said:
WHAT I DID ON THE FLOOR DROVE THE MARKETING, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. THE JORDAN BRAND WAS DRIVEN BY WHAT I DID EVERY NIGHT PLAYING THE GAME. We had to earn what came to us. I never knew any other way, so I never thought otherwise. There wasn’t a line of corporations looking to invest in young NBA players in 1984. Those kinds of deals happened because of what we were doing on the floor.
He added by saying:
It’s often the other way around today, which makes it a lot harder for young players to realize the depth of their potential. It’s hard to spend all summer working on one aspect of your game when you have already received the payoff. I never had that problem.
Michael Jordan's imprint is clearly visible in the Jordan brand beyond just lending his name, as their collaborations and innovations have shown us a will to be different, setting them apart from their competition. Their deal with French footballing giants Paris Saint-Germain is an excellent example as it has caused an impactful cultural shift in the game.
Big year for the Jordan Brand, bringing in $4.7B in revenue — up 31% YoY.
Michael Jordan made just over $90 million during his NBA career, yet will take home more than $150 million from his Nike deal this year alone.
$NKE hit an all-time high this morning & is up 50% YTD. https://t.co/QmVKuAKiF5
Michael Jordan on the current marketing trend in the league
Michael Jordan also touched upon the current marketing trends which focus on a player's future potential rather than their current abilities. For example, a rookie comes into the league with the expectation of being a potential star and will be marketed that way.
However, many players coming into the league with high potential are fazed by the pressure and expectations and they eventually become a scrub or an average player due to the hype.
Jordan alluded to this fact in his book as he spoke about how no one had to market him since he marketed himself and how current players struggle to live up to the expectations created for them. Here's what he said:
NO ONE HAD TO MARKET MICHAEL JORDAN. I MARKETED MYSELF BY WHAT I DID ON THE COURT. It’s easy to see a guy averaging 30 points a game and then use him as a marketing tool for your product. It’s a lot more difficult to take a guy you hope can play, market him as a 30-point scorer, and then find out he’s not nearly the player your marketing platform promised. You can’t fake out the consumer. Some of these kids today can never live up to the expectations created for them.
The Jordan brand recruitment and staple of athletes reflect Jordan's mindset as most of the players on the roster have each established a strong on-court presence before signing on with the legendary brand. Superstars like Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook are prime examples of players who have what it takes to be a Jordan brand athlete. The brand truly believes in putting action first over words.
Jordan Brand is us, the Black Community. And this is a moment for action, not just commitment. @Jumpman23 #whynot https://t.co/eR0yGMaAX3