What do you think of when you see this logo?
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You could think of a number (23), you could think of sports or a sportswear brand, but you most likely think of one person: Michael Jordan.
This image is an icon that represents Jordan, but Michael himself is an icon that represents sport, it represents work, perseverance, progress, history, fame, glory.
Michael Jordan is the forerunner of what we know as the unions between athletes and brands. He brought a new concept to the world of sports when he became the corporate image of Nike, Gatorade, and so many other firms.
Before Michael's arrival, Basketball shoes were just that: "Sneakers." When NIKE shoes are fused with the image of Jordan, a revolution of custom models is created that until now has not ended. It all started with the famous "Air Jordan".
We will hardly know another Michael Jordan, pioneer, creator of records, brands, and styles, considered the greatest inspiration of all time for several generations of athletes, being the role model in childhood and adolescence of the current NBA stars.
The Jordan Legacy
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It's not just all the imposed records, the championship rings. But the power of the corporate image.
The NIKE Corporation has always been one of the most famous sportswear and shoe factories in the world for offering high-quality products that have earned the preference of its consumers.
But in the '90s when Nike signed the most important of its corporate agreements placing the figure of Michael Jordan As an image of its famous "Air Jordan" shoes, an industrial phenomenon was created that would increase its sales and projection to unimagined levels.
As a result of this success, Nike continued to sign NBA athletes and create new personalized designs with the symbols and hand-signed signatures of the new idols of this sport: Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, among others.
And not only did he focus on this sport, but he expanded to golf with Tiger Woods, tennis with Rafael Nadal, and others.
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Resume
This advertising strategy has been adopted by many famous brands of different genres in the industry and they have hired not only athletes, but musical artists, but the strategy is the same and in most cases, it has resulted in great successes.
A corporate advertising image is a tool that can be worth millions of dollars for a company, these contracts often invade the privacy of athletes, artists, and personalities, but in round numbers everyone benefits.
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