When Michael Jordan defied NBA uniform guidelines with a pair of black and crimson Nikes in 1984, the sneaker model smelled advertising gold. The defiant colorway mixed with Jordan’s meteoric rise lifted the Air Jordan 1 to prompt icon standing when it launched the next yr, step one in what would turn out to be the $7 billion Jordan Model. However after 40 years, the AJ1’s brash origin story was unknown by Gen Z, so Nike used the model’s fortieth anniversary to indicate sneakerheads what the world can be like with out it.
“You Can’t Ban Greatness” rolled out banned stunts and merchandise throughout sports activities (Tyler Reddick’s NASCAR paint job, Jalen Hurts’ cleats) and gaming (the Jordan retailer was banned on NBA2K25). Even the Jordan Model’s @Jumpman23 deal with, adopted by 32 million individuals throughout social media, went silent. All of it got here along with the Unbannable Anthem, debuted on the 2025 Grammys, to disclose how the AJ1 was by no means only a shoe. All in, the marketing campaign delivered over 6 billion paid impressions, social conversations across the model doubled, and optimistic sentiment rose 56%.
HBO | “Elevate Your Banners”
Media Company: Big Spoon New York
Class: Greatest Use of Experiential Much less Than $1 Million, Greatest Use of Out of Residence Much less Than $1 Million
HBO knew it couldn’t maintain using the coattails of Recreation of Thrones to advertise the second season of its prequel spinoff, Home of the Dragon. Big Spoon New York introduced the sequence’ escalating on-screen rivalry into the actual world with a world mixed-media marketing campaign urging followers to “Elevate Your Banners” to take sides with one of many present’s warring households. Exhibits of allegiance ranged from dueling trailers to launch the marketing campaign, unfurling actual and augmented actuality banners from landmarks just like the Eiffel Tower and Brooklyn Bridge throughout 20 nations, partnering with unbiased eating places in New York on themed menu objects, and wrapping a 270-foot dragon across the Empire State Constructing.
“Elevate Your Banners” turned a bona fide cultural second that blurred fiction and actuality, garnering 6.4 billion media impressions globally. Influencer partnerships, TikTok and Snapchat filters, and hashtags resulted in over 1.4 billion natural social impressions, with a 59% raise in consciousness and 29% elevated intent to observe.
Jameson | “St. Patrick’s Eve”
Inventive Company: Ogilvy
Media Company: Publicis Collective
Class: Complete Marketing campaign $500,000-$1 Million, Greatest Use of Out of Residence Over $500,000
