An exciting combination of unusual shoe designs fused into one model was released by Nike on October 21, 2006. “In celebration of their historic relationship, Jordan Brand and Spike Lee have come together to design the Jordan Brand Spiz’ike.” Shown to the right, it
integrates into one shoe the popular features from the Air Jordan III, IV, V, VI, and XX series. “In addition to the obvious Jordan design characteristics, Spike Lee’s Mars Blackmon character and his ‘40 Acres and a Mule’ logo are placed on the back of the kix.” Basketball viewers should be very familiar with Mars as the primary pitch man for Nike shoes during the 1990’s with his classic phrase, "Is it the Shoes? Is it the Shoes? Is it the Shoes? … it's gotta be the shoes.” The customer message is clear and simple, much like the famous “Just Do It." When I first saw the shoe advertised over the Internet, the elaborate style and color combinations immediately stood out. The marketing idea of combining Jordan and Lee trademarks into a single shoe package is pure genius. The design incorporates subtle references to the two media superstars by numbers and patterns etched onto the sides. For example, the “40/a” on the heel represents Spike’s film company, 40 Acres and a Mule. In addition, Nike will produce only 4023 pairs – and as any NBA fan knows, the number “23” is Jordan’s Chicago Bulls retired jersey number. Both superstars have large and dedicated fan clubs that collect almost anything that is associated with their names. Like many rare sneakers, this model transcends the normal use of a basketball shoe and will most likely never be used in a gymnasium or ball court. As a tribute to Spike Lee, the shoes first went on sale at Premium Goods, “Brooklyn’s first and most premier sneaker boutique." Early bird shoppers were ecstatic to purchase them for $175 a pair. Today, this limited edition model can only be purchased through online resellers with starting bids at $300 each.Nike’s most famous sneaker, the Air Force One, was first released in 1982 as the first basketball shoe to incorporate Nike Air technology. It has remained one of the company’s most popular styles selling for about $65. As stated on many Nike retail websites, “The Nike Air Force
One shoes have been a major hit in the hip-hop community whose culture was so closely connected to the streets of New York and the basketball scene there. Many of the up and coming artists from the streets of Brooklyn rose to the top while wearing the Nike Air Force Ones.” The mixture of bold music sounds, classic New York roots, and the new shoe designs immediately grabbed the public’s attention. In celebration of the 25th year anniversary of Air Force One, Nike has decided to produce the Nike Air Force One Supreme ’07 with a price tag of $200. Although the two shoes appear identical, the company is promoting the latest version shown to the left as superior in comfort with a brilliant white exterior. As part of the Nike’s advertising campaign to soften the price increase, they are featuring a television piece on famous NBA stars wearing the shoes as they battle each other in one-on-one games inside a darkened aircraft hanger. Titled "The Second Coming", it features such NBA stars as “Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Rasheed Wallace in front of the camera and Rakim, KRS-One, NAS and Kanye West providing the soundtrack." The surreal black and white setting helps to accentuate the sneakers in dynamic images with the clear association of the Nike logo and basketball’s elite players. The company is betting that customer loyalty and the endorsement of the NBA stars will override any initial hesitations to purchase the latest model. Loyal Nike fans will have to think carefully about losing their cherished “Swoosh” quality if they switch to another brand. This year Nike “profits rose to $325.6 million, or $1.28 per share, from $301.1 million, or $1.14 per share, a year ago.” With these financial records they can afford to gamble on an aggressive marketing strategy. The company is banking on a reputation for unmatched quality control and customer satisfaction as constant differentiators with their nearest competitors. In the past they has successfully made the customer believe that extra cost always provides a superior product. With this business philosophy, Nike believes there will always be profitability in creating new designs and enhancing long time favorites.
