Jordan Brand’s 40th Anniversary Campaign Begins With a New Twist on the Infamous ‘Banned’ Ad

The start of 2025 is still days away, but one of the new year’s biggest sneaker campaigns is already underway as Nike, Inc.’s Jordan Brand prepares for its 40th anniversary.

Celebrations for Jordan Brand’s ruby anniversary will start where it all began with the Air Jordan 1. Specifically, the sneaker’s “Bred” (aka “Banned”) colorway is taking center stage with a release scheduled for February. With the launch fast approaching, the brand introduced a “A People’s History of the Air Jordan 1” online teaser for the sneaker Monday. 

The two-minute animated clip breaks down the “Banned” backstory — or at least Nike’s selective retelling of it — in which the company paid fines issued to Michael Jordan in 1985 due to the black-and-red shoes breaking the NBA’s uniform guidelines. The rebellious aura of the Air Jordan 1 caught on with subcultures beyond the basketball court and it was eventually embraced in global street style and underground music scenes.

After Monday’s teaser came the heavy hitters on Christmas Day. Throughout the day’s NBA action, snappy commercials set to Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” instrumental referenced the original ’85 “Banned” ad, this time presenting hypothetical scenarios that could have happened if Nike didn’t foot the bill for the fines.

“If it was just a shoe, why did they try to ban it?,” says the narrator. 

And the marketing didn’t end on the TV screen. Rapper Fabolous was in attendance for Wednesday’s New York Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs game at Madison Square Garden and shared an image of his outfit on Instagram — with his “Bred” Air Jordan 1s obscured. “Popped out for the Christmas Day Knicks Game wit a fresh pair of Bred 1s but they blocked it like MJ in 85!!!,” the rapper wrote.

Knicks legend Carmelo Anthony was also spotted in attendance wearing the upcoming pair.

While the 40th anniversary rollout begins with the “Bred” Air Jordan 1, it’s only the beginning of a year-long campaign from the brand which will see retro releases of some of the most important Air Jordan sneakers in the brand’s history.

The Air Jordan 1 Retro High ’85 “Bred” is set to be one of the most accurate reissues of the sneaker yet with a shape and build comparable to the original version. It has a retail price of $250 and will be released on Feb. 14 barring any delays.