Jordan Brand Continues To Dominate High-End Basketball Market

Since Jordan Brand made the decision to "drop Nike's trademark Swoosh from its sneakers during the 1990s, the brand has gone on to dominate the high end of the basketball market, with a scale in the U.S. footwear market eclipsed only by its parent," according to AD AGE's Jeremy Mullman, who writes under the header, "Jordan Brand: America's Hottest Brands Case Study." Jordan Brand is "now bigger than Nike's merged rivals, adidas and Reebok, combined, despite a selective distribution strategy that deliberately makes the shoes hard to find." SportsOneSource analyst Matt Powell "estimates that the brand is available in only about 10% of locations that carry Nikes." Powell: "Jordan has established itself as the premiere designer brand in athletic footwear." Mullman notes also "vital is Nike's typically inspired marketing machine, which has, through the 'Become Legendary' campaign, managed to simultaneously bask in [Michael] Jordan's stardom while centering its efforts on contemporary stars" like Nuggets F Carmelo Anthony, Hornets G Chris Paul and Heat G Dwyane Wade. The "basketball-centric brand has also aligned with elite athletes in other sports," such as Yankees SS Derek Jeter and boxer Roy Jones Jr., and Jordan Brand President Keith Houlemard said that deals with those athletes "added a sense of prestige, as well as a sense of independence from the larger Nike brand" (AD AGE, 11/16 issue).

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: WOMEN'S WEAR DAILY's Ernst Beaudry & Niemi noted Friday marks the 20th anniversary of the Reebok Pump, and Reebok shoe designer Paul Litchfield "continues to reimagine the airy concept and is implementing it in new ways." Litchfield said that next year "would be a hallmark year for new product introductions" at Reebok. Litchfield: "We have not been as coordinated or as focused on product as we are right now in a long time." Ernst Beaudry & Niemi noted the Pump is "celebrating two decades with a slew of limited edition collaborations with specialty sneaker shops around the globe and a party on Nov. 19 at Pop Burger" in N.Y., with appearances from former NFLer Emmitt Smith and Basketball HOFer Dominique Wilkins (WWD.com, 11/16).

SHOWING THEIR STRIPES: BRAND REPUBLIC's Jacquie Bowser reports adidas is "planning to make trainers priced at just" about US$1.48 for people who "cannot afford to buy shoes." adidas will "begin pilot production next year in Bangladesh after being inspired by Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus, who suggested the 'social business' project" to adidas. The company has "agreed to make the shoes on a non-profit basis, selling them at no more than the cost of materials and manufacture." It is "not known if the trainers will be unbranded or feature the adidas three-stripes label" (BRANDREPUBLIC.com, 11/17).

Nike's New Line Of Sneakers Raising Money For Doernbecher Children's Hospital In Portland

DESIGN STARS: In Portland, Jonathan Brinckman reported the designers behind a new line of Nike sneakers are hospital "patients whose creations will raise money for Doernbecher Children's Hospital" in Portland. Nike Friday "presented a showing" of the collection at its Beaverton, Oregon, HQs. The shoes, which range in price from $88-165, went on sale Saturday at the "12 Nike stores in the United States and online at Nike.com." Retail sales of last year's line "netted $458,900 for the hospital." Nike's program in total has raised about $2M for the hospital (Portland OREGONIAN, 11/14).