Michael Jordan & Cristiano Ronaldo: An Unparalleled Story of Branding

Who doesn’t know Michael Jordan? This legend is an American professional basketball player who won the NBA championship more than five times with the Chicago Bulls, earning him the title “The Best Player.” Thanks to his stellar success, he became a world-class celebrity. His successful career as the best basketball player allowed him to amass a vast fortune.

But is Michael Jordan famous only for his basketball skills? Of course not! This is inseparable from the role of the brand behind him. Who else but Nike? As discussed in “The Phenomenon of Personal Branding Among Athletes,” athletes with strong personal branding and a dedicated fan base are often “endorsed” by well-known brands as well. This is exactly what happened with Michael Jordan—Nike sponsored his shoes for games because, at the time, there were no specialized basketball shoes available.

During the first five years of his contract, Nike paid Jordan $5,000 per year as a “fine” because the shoes he wore were actually banned by the NBA—their colors violated the rules. But at the time, Nike was smart enough to view that “fine” as a promotional strategy to gain maximum publicity by using Jordan as the face of its shoe, the Air Jordan 1. To this day, Air Jordan shoes remain in high demand and have reached the Air Jordan 35 series.

Over time, the Air Jordan brand has continued to expand, branching out into apparel such as shirts, pants, hats, and socks. These items are no longer limited to basketball but are also worn for casual activities and other sports.

Interestingly, after Michael Jordan retired, the Air Jordan name became its own brand under the Nike umbrella! Air Jordan is an example of a brand that started as a personal brand, evolved into a commercial brand, and has successfully endured over the long term. Here, Nike not only succeeded in strengthening the bond between the brand and the athlete but also implemented a shrewd marketing strategy.

Quality as the Strength of Cristiano Ronaldo’s Personal Branding

This Portuguese soccer player is truly a phenomenal figure. Ronaldo possesses soccer skills at the highest level. His skills are evident in his ball-dribbling technique and even his ability to score goals on free kicks.

Always giving his all on the field, maintaining a flawless image, enjoying a harmonious family life, and leading a healthy lifestyle—all these factors make Ronaldo a personal brand that has captivated thousands of fans. This is evident from his Instagram page, which holds the title of “The Most Popular Instagram Account” with 315 million followers as of July 2021. And that’s not all— according to StartupTalky, many top brands have also “lined up” to collaborate with him—including Armani, Nike, Coca-Cola, Clear, Motorola, Herbalife, and Shopee—appointing the star as a brand ambassador for their products. His strong personal brand serves as a lucrative opportunity to generate revenue.

Well, just recently, Ronaldo’s charm managed to drive up a soccer club’s stock price! Yep, Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United a few days ago became the talk of the world, and MU’s stock surged dramatically to 212 million pounds sterling—or approximately Rp4.2 trillion. Wow!

Remember when Coca-Cola’s stock plummeted after that bottle-shuffling stunt a few months ago? Yep! The impact of every move Ronaldo makes is massive. Given this phenomenon, it’s clear that Ronaldo’s personal brand is incredibly strong—even stronger than Coca-Cola’s—so much so that he’s able to overshadow the brand and indirectly discourage people from drinking soda too often because it’s bad for your health.