How does Nike’s Jordan Brand spell “respect?” R-E-2-P-E-C-T.
The new marketing campaign by the athletic apparel giant pulls out all the stops in its quest to honor one of its most celebrated athletes and promote its new pop-out brand. In this video, Nike marks the end of baseball great (and first Jordan-sponsored baseball player) Derek Jeter’s career in 2014 with a series of homages from fans, community members, and fellow athletes and celebrities.
Like most approaches the brand takes, the “Re2pect” campaign hits the nail on the head in capturing the significance and gravity of Jeter’s retirement. By doing so, Nike positions itself as a pivotal part of the athlete’s career and retirement and keeps itself in the front of consumers’ minds.
What Makes the Re2pect Campaign So Impactful
Several components of the Re2pect video make it a powerful branding strategy. One of the most compelling is the collection of individuals who have gathered to pay respect to Jeter as he completes his final season. Recognizing celebrities such as Spike Lee, Jay-Z, Billy Crystal, and (of course) Michael Jordan among anonymous individuals creates a sense of warmth and community in viewers.
Another important element is the ubiquitous presence of branding. Each person tips his or her New York Yankees cap in recognition of Jeter’s successful career. At the end, Michael Jordan tips his Jordan Brand cap, suggesting the brands are interconnected. Viewers walk away with the sense that these logos play an important role in this and other athletic milestones.
“Re2pect’s” Marketing Lessons for Other Brands
Companies seeking to glean valuable insight from the “Re2pect” campaign should consider the most effective marketing techniques Jordan Brand utilized in creating the video. These include:
- Careful timing. Nike and its associated brands are masters when it comes to creating marketing videos around special events or pop-out brands. When something new or unusual happens with your company, use the opportunity to launch a video campaign. The rich visuals will captivate audiences and generate contagious excitement.
- Utilizing repetition. One after another, everyone in the video completes the same action – raising their caps to a retiring baseball great. When videos show various iterations of the same image or activity over and over, it reinforces the behavior. It also illustrates different ways or scenarios in which a product could be useful to a consumer.
- Capitalizing on notoriety/fame. Another element Nike consistently gets right is its high-profile partnerships with famous athletes. In this case, the brand’s reach extends further to include comedians, actors, directors, and other well-known individuals. Although you may not have dozens of celebrities in your Rolodex, including a local personality or industry expert in your video marketing imbues it with added authority and interest.
Re2pect represents the latest in a long line of successful marketing videos by Nike and Jordan Brand. Companies of all sizes can take a page out of their book to inform their own campaigns.
How does your brand leverage video to create impactful marketing campaigns?