Jordan Brand, leveraged the 25th anniversary of the WNBA through an integrated campaign called ‘Family’ which was built around a stylish photoshoot featuring the sportswear company’s current stable of WNBA endorsers.
It was back on 21 June 1997 that the WNBA officially began when the New York Liberty took on the Los Angeles Spark in the Great Western Forum (in Inglewood, California) where a 14,284-strong crowd saw the Liberty defeat the Sparks 67-57.
To commemorate that first game, the Nike sub-brand launched a ‘Family’ campaign fronted by its 11-strong team of WNBA athlete ambassadors (the most it had in the history of the league) – Jordin Canada, Te’a Cooper, Crystal Dangerfield, Chelsea Dungee, Arella Guirantes, Dearica Hamby, Kia Nurse, Aerial Powers and Satou Sabally – who all appeared at an April photo shoot by Ming Smith.
The resulting images spearheaded a social-first campaign led by the Jordan Brand’s Instagram channel.
They got highlights on the court, but even more off the court. Learn more about the emerging WNBA stars joining the Jumpman Family.
— Jordan (@Jumpman23) June 21, 2021
“The gathering celebrated the Brand’s largest female roster ever, an investment in the game’s emerging stars that reveals an intention to shape the future of basketball culture,” said a Jordan Brand campaign launch statement which added that this blurring of on- and off-court activism has defined the brand since it was launched. “A shared love for the game and everything basketball culture represents serves as a unifying platform for fans and athletes drawn to Jordan’s larger-than-life legacy and the Brand’s increasing commitment to creating impact by influencing society and championing Black community initiatives. The new members of the Jordan Brand family embody this ethos, activating their professional platforms to campaign for social justice — whether through the WNBA’s dedication of its 2020 season to the #SayHerName movement; the #WeGotUsChallenge.”
“The world needs female voices, and we can’t ignore that or else we’re not growing,” added founder Michael Jordan. “The Jordan Brand is committed to giving women a platform to amplify their voices, which influence, inspire and push culture forward. These amazing athletes are defining a lot of things about Jordan Brand and leading a true conversation that’s impacting culture and our communities across the globe.”
“Representation really matters at this point in time,” added campaign star and Seattle Storm player Jordin Canada. “To have eleven black women be a part of this brand allows the younger generation and younger women to see that they can be like us — they can have that opportunity. I didn’t see that growing up.”
While Minnesota Lynx star Crystal Dangerfield added: “We don’t just stick to our sport. We’re vocal in the league, as a whole, and we’re going to bring it to the community — to leave things better than we found them.”
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