What if the secret to winning wasn’t having the biggest budget or the deepest legacy, but the boldness to reframe the rules of the game?

In 1984, Nike was an underdog in the world of basketball. Adidas had the swagger. Converse had the stars. Nike? They were a running shoe company on the fringes of basketball culture. But one radical act of reframing, championed by a visionary named Sonny Vaccaro, changed everything.

This is the story of how Nike signed Michael Jordan and launched Air Jordan. 

They saw him differently. And in doing so, they became something different.

Reframing the Problem: From Athlete Sponsorship to Athlete Co-Creation

At the time, the dominant mental model in sports marketing was simple: Brands endorsed players. Players wore the shoes. Everyone moved on.

Nike, with Vaccaro’s insight, reframed the problem: 

What if instead of endorsing an athlete, we built an identity around one? 

Rather than competing head-to-head with Adidas and Converse by signing teams or multiple players, Nike reframed the opportunity as one of singular focus and narrative design.

Instead of asking:

How do we get Jordan to wear our shoes? They asked: How do we help Michael Jordan become a global icon?

Human-Centered Design in Action: Empathy Over Ego

Vaccaro and Nike built empathy into their strategy.

Michael Jordan was a rising star, but he felt undervalued by Adidas, his preferred brand, and overlooked by Converse, who already had Earvin "Magic" Johnsonand Larry Bird. Nike listened to what Jordan needed: respect, individuality, and belief in his future.

They went beyond demographics and stats. They engaged his mother, Deloris Jordan, recognizing her influence and values.

They understood Jordan’s core pain:

He didn’t want to be a product of a brand. He wanted to become his own brand.

This insight reshaped the strategy.

Prototyping the Future: The Birth of Air Jordan

Rather than plugging Jordan into existing models, Nike prototyped a new model:

• A signature shoe (Air Jordan I)
• A brand narrative (the “Flight” persona)
• A royalty structure (revenue sharing)

This was a story prototype, one that let the world see who Jordan could become, long before he became it. It was intentional design meets athlete empowerment.

Strategic Outcome: Outsmarting the Incumbents

The result was seismic.

While Adidas and Converse stayed locked in the past, thinking in terms of team deals, legacy, and control, Nike designed for the emerging cultural shift: personalization, individualism, and icon-building.

They made $126 million in the first year, crushing their three-year projection of $3 million.

Why This Matters: Reframing as Competitive Strategy

Reframing is a strategic tool and advantage for leaders and companies who are bold enough to lean in.

Nike’s transformation was about seeing the context differently, and then using human-centered design, rapid prototyping, and storytelling to bring that new vision to life.

When legacy brands were focused on preserving their dominance, Nike was focused on creating possibility.

They didn't outspend the competition. They out-framed them.

Closing the Loop: Reframing the Game

In an era where so many organizations try to compete by playing the same game better, Nike’s Air Jordan story is a timeless reminder:

Sometimes, the smartest move isn’t to play the game at all. It’s to change what the game is about.

Reframing is a strategic tool.

And if done right, it doesn’t just win markets.

It creates legends.