In 25 years’ worth of Interbrand’s Best Global Brands, a personality brand has never featured in the top 100 – until this year. 

By Greg Silverman, Global Director, Brand Economics, Interbrand

It was journey that started in 1984 when Nike signed Mr. Jordan as a newcomer and culminates this year with the brand securing a position in the BGB Top 100. The brand has evolved from a photo and icon to a major cultural force – with a global following and a broad array of products associated with luxury, style, winning, and streetwear. The shoes have had a resale value that has been tracked as high as 59% of the original price. Some collections have sold for millions at auction.

As a carefully curated brand that has thrived in the times of social media, customers connect with the brand at an emotional level – allowing it to perform well financially and carve out a position separate from the Nike corporate brand. The Jordan brand enters the top 100 ranking this year with a brand value of $6.4B. But beyond this success, the Jordan brand offers valuable lessons to other brands that can learn from how Jordan maximized classic sports values while capitalizing on the influence of social media to build a brand from scratch.

The means by which the Jordan brand has emerged so successfully are instructive to all brand managers. Jordan has mastered these specific brand imperatives as the foundation for its success:

• Consistent identity. Jordan has developed brand codes that are memorable and flexible. While originally linked to the Nike brand, Jordan has established the Jumpman icon and label as a center piece of its identity. It was inspired by a Life magazine photo shoot where Jordan was photographed in a pose like a grad jete ballet move. This icon, logo, and wordmark are used in various formats across products, marketing, messaging, and events – reinforcing identifier DNA that makes the Jordan brand easily recognizable.
• Leverageable asset. With iconic status in basketball, it would have been easy for any brand manager to stay within the confines of basketball or even just sports. However, the Jordan brand has moved past its incumbent position on the court to the essence of what made for a great court presence: success, perseverance, dream fulfillment, and classic values. Understanding the essence of the brand allowed Jordan to move outside of its core into multiple related product environments. No longer is the brand about shoes. It is a full lifestyle apparel brand that reaches a global audience. It’s not just winning on court, it’s winning at life. For example, parkas do not just come in hot. They help you huddle up and stay warm. An approach to apparel that Jordan says, helps you out class the cold.
• Ecosystem evolution. An ecosystem uses the power of data, technology, and partnerships to become personal at scale. In addition to the highly visible advertising campaigns, Jordan has carefully curated its online presence through a broad range of global influencers. Whether it is DJ Kaled, Bismack Biyombo or Carmelo Anthony, members of the ecosystem live out – and exemplify – the brand ethos “action over words”. The ecosystem has evolved not just for the sake of scale, but a scale that reinforces the ambition of the brand. The discipline to say no, a hallmark of great brand strategy, is evidenced in the select partnerships the brand endorses.
• Leadership fulfillment. The business of business is no longer just business. If companies are today the most trusted type of institution, brands are the world’s most powerful narratives – and with greater power comes greater responsibility. Brands are no longer expected to just follow the rules but lead on issues relevant to their core constituencies. The Jordan brand ethos has directed it to develop leadership programs that reinforce actions over words. Whether it is scholarships at HBCUs, institutional support for social justice, or community development funds, the brand acts over just words.

It is hard to imagine that the Jordan brand stops at just apparel. It is easy to imagine new arenas such as home goods and luggage as future extensions. It is also easy to imagine a frontier of Jordan-led brand experiences as a future area for growth. Whether it be special camps for basketball, exclusive access or experiences at practices, games, or drafts, the Jordan brand has untapped opportunities to continue its growth.

Jordan has become a symbol of uniqueness, prominence, and resilience both tangibly and intangibly. Adapting those values to a shifting consumer market consistently over decades is what has transformed the man to an iconic Best Global brand. The Jordan formula is one that all brand managers can follow.