New collaboration work between Xavier Encinas, independent Art Director, and Marcus Eriksson, Creative Director of new Vancouver interactive studio Academy. Nike Air Jordan Spiz’ike project completes two amazing and always surprising portfolios. Keep a close eye on them. They remind us the story behind, so some reading before Becoming Mars.
In 1986, unknown director spike lee released his debut, “she’s gotta have it”, which won the prix de jeunesse at cannes. In the film, spike’s mars blackmon character was so devoted to jordans, he wore them 24/7…including to bed…while doing the deed.
Copywriter jim riswold and producer bill davenport from wieden+kennedy saw the movie and decided to make mars the unlikely spokesman for air jordan.
The “spike and mike” commercials featured the comedic duo of 5’6” lee and 6’6” jordan. Filmed in black and white, the spots anchored spike’s high-energy directing with classic lines including, “do you know? Do you know? Do you know?” And, “it’s gotta be the shoes.” The campaign ran through six air jordan releases and probably represented nike’s first use of pop culture for marketing. Unlikely, it also became one of the most celebrated in the history of advertising.
Since the days of the first mars commercials, jordan has done all right for itself. The challenges of succeeding in a highly competitive space fall on a brand based in beaverton with an ad agency in new york and a digital partner in vancouver. Much like spike and mike, the strange collection of folks displayed in this book somehow come together to make it all work –
No matter how unlikely
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