How Nike’s Jordan Brand used celebrity collaborations to overcome a dip in the rankings and keep its reputation as the most iconic sneaker brand of all time. From the moment it signed Jordan to today, here’s everything you need to know. (NKE)

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• In 1984, Nike and NBA player Michael Jordan teamed up to launch one of the most iconic athlete-endorsed brands of all time: Jordan Brand.
• During the years Jordan was still playing professional basketball, the brand would release a new sneaker with every season, and it was the shoe Jordan would play in that year. 
• Kids who grew up between 1984 and 2003 — the year Jordan left the NBA as a player for good — were a huge part of the success of the brand, according to a sneaker resale expert.
• Just as fashion trends come and go, the brand’s sales dipped in 2014. Matt Cohen, a sneaker collector and the vice president of business development and strategy at GOAT Group, told Business Insider he believed this dip was due to a shift in fashion and a lack of consumer connection to Jordan, the man. 
• Collaborations brought the brand back in late 2017, and it’s still having a moment today. 
• Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.

In 1984, Nike teamed up with Michael Jordan to launch Jordan Brand, a brand of shoes and athletic wear built around the player. At the time, Nike was a struggling brand selling running shoes with an idea to reinvent itself as a company for athletic stars.

Nike

Source: ESPN

ESPN reported that it wasn’t so easy for the company to sign the then-budding NBA rookie. Nike reportedly offered Jordan $500,000 a year — in cash — for five years, hoping it could convince him to come on board.

Charles Rex Arbogast/AP

Source: ESPN

Unfortunately for Nike, Jordan really wanted to work with Adidas. But, Adidas wasn’t really an option for Jordan, as the company was undergoing a leadership shift at the time.

Focus On Sport/Contributor/Getty Images

Source: ESPN

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Rachel Askinasi)