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The Air Jordan 1 is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2025, and the brand has launched the “You can’t ban greatness” advertisement to pay homage to the silhouette that started the reign of Michael Jordan’s signature shoes. The brand had built momentum leading up to the launch of the “You can’t ban greatness” ad.
The brand started its marketing campaign in December 2024 when one of its athletes, Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, got a fine for his rule-breaking Air Jordan cleats. Subsequently, the Jordan brand paid the fine and released an official statement that the NFL couldn’t ban greatness.
In January 2025, the brand continued its aggressive marketing by blocking the sneakers on MJ’s statue at the United Center. Later on, fans noticed that some of the Air Jordan sneakers on the website had black stamps covering them.
The 40th-anniversary ad takes one back to 1985 when MJ sported the controversial red and black silhouette and the resultant fine slapped on the shoes. The ad’s narrator using grainy footage leads the viewer to imagine what life would have been like if Nike had not been adamant in paying a $5k fine each time MJ wore the shoes at NBA games.
The star-studded campaign video features popular figures in basketball and music, further highlighting the intersection between sneaker culture and other aspects of life. The ad was uploaded on the brand’s YouTube channel, and fans were impressed by the creativity behind the simple storytelling technique.
@vel1trix commented under Jordan’s post:
“This is a cinematic masterpiece.”
Other comments mirrored the sentiment and described the “You can’t ban greatness” ad as one of the best.
Sneakerheads expressed their love for the Air Jordan 1 silhouette and their desire to cop them.
Others complained about the exclusivity of the upcoming Air Jordan 1 High ‘85 Bred and how unattainable they were to the average sneakerhead.
More details on the Air Jordan 1 40th anniversary and the launch of the ‘85 Bred
To celebrate the 40-year milestone of the Air Jordan 1 sneakers, the brand has planned to release a silhouette that closely mimics the design of the 1985 sneakers. Releasing on February 14, 2025, on the weekend of the NBA All-Star event, the sneakers would feature the signature red and black color scheme of the original.
According to first-look images from Stock X and other news sites, the upcoming sneakers feature a slightly taller build and bigger Swoosh than the previous re-releases. The shoes’ black leather is overlaid with red for contrast while the soles are left in white and red to round up the design.
As expected, the special edition sneakers have gathered much hype, and word on the streets is that only 10,000 pairs will be released at 23 select US retailers.
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According to Sneaker Bar Detroit, the sneakers will drop on February 14, 2025, for $250. Stay tuned for more updates on the upcoming sneakers.
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