Signature sneakers have been a cornerstone of basketball business since then Michael Jordan signed with Nike In 1984. As the saying goes, everyone wants to 'be like mike'. But the shoe game has taken a long way after Nike willingly paid for MJ's fines for dressing the air jordans in “unacceptable colors”.

Light a game in the NBA today, and you will see players swinging shoes in any imaginable color and style, each pair making a unique statement. Now, the Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry – one of Jordan's harshest challengers for the title of the most influential basketball player – aims to revolutionize the world of sneakers just like he turned the game himself. And we all know how much the deadly goal of Curry is.

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From competitors to co -workers

In December, Curry Brand introduced her first signature athlete, the Sacramento Kings De'aaron Fox star with the beginning of Fox 1, marking an interesting milestone for the rapid growth brand. De'Aaron Fox, who holds the game with the highest score of the season with 60 points, signed with Under Armor in 2023 after leaving Nike, becoming the first Brand Curry's non-Epony athlete.

The Fox deal is unique in that active players are not typically signed on the label of another active player. They often wear each other's shoes but being signed in a brand where your rival is President It's unusual, to say at least.

“There are people in the industry and the world who have tried to do it, but we see it as a benefit,” says marketing chief marketing Nana Dadzie. “For De'Aaron, joining the brand of someone you admired as high school is special. Michael Jordan was the defining figure for my generation, and in terms of influence in today's game, Curry is the only one with it kind of impact ”

Like Jordan Brand with Nike, Curry Brand is under the only independent label of Armour. It began in 2020, though Curry has been with the company since 2013.

Dadzie joined in 2022 after 16 years working in higher education. “I will never forget the Step meeting for the first time at Curry Camp, just a few weeks in the role,” Dadzie recalls. “We were in an elevator, and I said, 'I didn't come here for Glitz, Glam, or just to be your friend – though we have become friends. I am here to help you build a brand of inheritance. “

Curry brand gets a Distinctive approach to marketing Its products: building narratives about signing skills of an athlete. Curry's legendary shots have been money and centers in campaigns like Memorable curry 2 ads (displaying another famous fox – Jamie).

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Speed ​​is essential

For De'Aaron Fox, called NBA's fastest player in 2024 GM surveySpeed ​​is essential. As such, the campaign for his first shoe, Fox 1entitled “The Speed ​​that Fears”.

“People know me about pushing the ball and playing the rhythm, so I felt like labeling” was a perfect fit and something that would make a statement with this being my first signature shoes, “Fox said.

Emphasis on signature skills is far from a coincidence in curry brand marketing. “One thing I always remember my creative teams is that we are in the business of sales basketball shoes,” Dadzie explains.

“It is easy to deal with wild ideas, but we have to create on purpose. When working with dynamic players like De'aaron and Steph, the key is bending over what people know about them.”

Along with building about the signature skills of an athlete, the Curry brand relies on the mood to highlight. Iconic advertising with three seconds Displaying the Curry himself highlights his shooting ability by showing him confused in the eyes of a brick or producing steam after dunking his hot hand in a bucket of water.

“The speed you scare” campaign Follows a similar approach, starting with the first place of 30 seconds, “every shoe”.

In the ad, Fox stays in the Center Court, surrounded by a sea of ​​shoes, loving with pleasure how fast it is in all of them. But it's the last couple – Fox 1s – that defenders must really be afraid.

“I love how we got something so natural for his-speed in court and built around him, including his personality along the way,” Dadzie says.

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The second advertisement, “goalkeeper” is Even more creative. This puts a nice turn in a popular basketball scenario: when a goalkeeper interrupts your training. Here, the goalkeeper takes on his own, donating glasses while the rapidly steps music puts tone. Fox then continues to blaze through the workouts at such a speed that he sends the cleaning supplies of the flying goalkeeper and leaves it shaken. The point ends with Fox accidentally leaving, shaking while January amazed looks at disbelief.

“I love the place of the” goalkeeper, “Fox says. “It is so relevant to any basketball player who stayed late in high school or high school gym and the goalkeeper was in the while while they were still working outside. We had a ton of fun filming him, and I think people will really enjoy it ”

While Steph Curry has opposed Logic at the Basketball Court, he cannot even overcome his father's time. The 36-year-old superstar has spoken publicly about the clock scored in his career several times recently, admitting that “the end is near”.

For NBA, it means saying goodbye to the biggest revolver ever. For the curry brand, it marks a new start. And Fox 1s are the first step.

“Our goal is to build a brand of inheritance as Jordan that lasts beyond its game days,” Dadzie says. “Heritage is not just about what you leave behind; it is about the inspiration of others to move it forward. Players like De'aaron Fox become part of Step's heritage. Like Michael Jordan Duron's influence, Impact of Steph has already been cemented.