Nike and Michael Jordan‘s Jordan Brand have gained significant traction in the last few months. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of the iconic Air Jordan 1, which made history, the brand announced the release of a new version, the Air Jordan 1 ’85 “Bred.” These feature the same colorway that was banned by the NBA and closely resemble the 1985 version. For some time now, the brand has generated hype around the banned colorway, with marketing efforts also focusing on this aspect. However, despite all the massive promotions, it seems Nike is facing troubles.

Going into the new year, the overall market for Nike was supposed to get better. However, it hasn’t been able to do so. Nike’s stock closed at $68.68, down 4.27% on February 7, 2025, hitting a new 52-week low of $68.62, before slightly recovering 0.16% in after-hours trading to $68.79. 

The brand’s stock has dropped over 7% in 2025, while the overall stock market (S&P 500) has gone up by more than 3%. Over the past year, Nike’s shares have fallen by about 33%. Banking institution Citigroup met with Nike’s new CEO, Elliott Hill, and wasn’t impressed by his outlook for 2026. Nike is still struggling with weak demand for key products.

But Nike has been putting in exceptional marketing strategies and efforts. It has recently pulled in a great display in marketing plans for the new release.

Nike celebrates the 40th anniversary of Air Jordan 1

Back in 1985, the black and red color scheme of the shoes that Jordan wore was banned by the NBA. This was because it violated the league’s uniform policy. However, it’s rumored that Jordan never wore these banned shoes in any regular season games, as there is no footage showing him in these shoes. 

The shoes originally banned were the Nike Air Ship, not the Air Jordan 1. The only time Jordan wore the banned colorway was during the 1985 Dunk Contest. So, it is possible that the entire thing is a big marketing strategy. Nevertheless, Nike has maintained the ban story for the Air Jordan 1 to promote its new release which is set to be launched on February 14th.

For the 40th anniversary as well as the Air Jordan 1 ’85 “Bred”, the brand placed black blocks on Jordan’s statue outside the United Center to once again remind people of the ban. A scrolling ticker banner behind the statue read, “If it was just a shoe, why did they try to ban it?” However, the shoes on Jordan’s statue were Air Jordan 9s. 

What else? The brand released a commercial during Christmas 2024 to highlight how important the ban was for Air Jordans. It depicted what would have happened if Nike hadn’t paid the fines. Another recent marketing trick was placing “ban” stickers on selected pairs of Air Jordans on the official website, sparking intrigue among every client and customer visiting the site. 

“Nike’s Air Jordan 1 “ban” continues 🚫 Black bars have been placed over the AJ1s on Nike’s website, paying homage to the “Banned” legacy. So far, Jordan Brand has deleted their socials, “banned” MJ’s sneakers on the Chicago statue, and now this. W marketing,” an IG post by Drip read. This is one strong marketing campaign. But it didn’t seem to have worked out for Nike. As many fans seemed to have issues with the new release.

Why are the fans unhappy with Air Jordan 1 ’85 “Bred”?

 The exclusivity of the shoes seems to be an issue.  Available only in selected 23 stores, the collection is reported to be limited to 1000 pairs. This is why the “banned” campaign became a laughing stock for this fan who wrote, “Too bad nobody can get em. Might as well be banned.”

Well, moving on to the prices of the shoes, the pairs are worth $250. And the fans are not happy with it. Even if the fans and sneakers fans have equal love for MJ, paying $250 for a retro version might not sit well with some when more cooler and sleek Nike designs are available.  

As mentioned before, many were more fascinated with other new designs such as Air Jordan Metallic 5s are quite buzzworthy. The huge amount of money spent on the “banned” campaign for the commercial and more was also questioned. “I just don’t see the logic behind spending SO MUCH on marketing a product only to limit its quantity and not be able to recoup what was spent on said marketing,” a netizen argued. With Nike, Jordan Brand is likely facing the same issues. 

As if this isn’t enough, Jordan’s son Marcus Jordan’s controversial scandal surfaced. Did it make a wrong impact on the brand?

Marcus Jordan’s DUI controversy raises eyebrows

TMZ made a shocking revelation on February 4. The Chicago Bulls legend’s son, Marcus, was booked into Orange County Jail in Orlando on DUI, possession of cocaine, and more. After fleeing a traffic stop, Jordan’s car got stuck on railroad tracks as spotted by the Maitland police. The Seminole County Sheriff’s Office later relayed the details to the Maitland police.

As per the police report, Marcus initially refused to get out of the car. However, he later complied. After asking him a few questions and conducting sobriety tests, the police arrested him. Much later, the police released the full body cam footage, which included Marcus’ conversation with the officers and his arrest. After posting bail, he was released from custody.

The scandal seemingly has no effect on business related or connected to Jordan. But the sooner Nike addresses its issue with new product shortage, the quicker it can regain momentum in its stock performance.