Hanes debuts limited-edition trading cards to celebrate 30th anniversary of Michael Jordan campaign

Dive Brief:

• Hanes is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its iconic campaign with former NBA star Michael Jordan by including 30th Anniversary Michael Jordan trading cards in bonus packs of men’s underwear, according to a news release.
• The Upper Deck Company created 170 different Fleer trading cards featuring pictures of Jordan from one of his Hanes ads on one side and statistics and fun facts on the other side. Five-card packs will be included in product packages, and 10 consumers will find a rare card autographed by Jordan in their packs.
• The bonus packs of underwear are available via Hanes’ website and at retailers, including Kohl’s, Walmart, JC Penney and more. Hanes also plans to run TV spots for the campaign during the March Madness basketball tournament on TV and cable networks. 

Dive Insight:

Sports trading cards have been collectors’ items for generations, and Hanes is hoping to generate buzz with collectors and sports fans with its new campaign. The limited-edition trading cards included in product packages, along with the potential to nab a Jordan-autographed card, could help Hanes drive sales. More brands are rolling out unique branded items as part of their marketing and often see items sell out quickly as well as increased social media traffic as a result.

Hanes first teamed up with Jordan in 1989, after he scored the 10,000th point of his basketball career and made one of the most dramatic NBA playoff-series winning buzzer-beater shots in the league’s history, according to the news release. The campaign featured Jordan telling consumers that with Hanes, “nothing else feels so right.”

Nostalgia is a trendy marketing tactic that brands continue to embrace to spark an emotional connection with consumers. Campaigns with ’80s and ’90s themes especially resonate with millennials, who seem to enjoy reliving aspects from their childhood and teen years. Hanes’ new trading card promotion featuring its iconic partnership with Michael Jordan aligns with that trend. 

Hanes isn’t the only brand to tap into the nostalgia trend and bring back iconic marketing creative and re-launch products to connect with consumers. Last year, Footlocker introduced “Discover Your Air,” a creative platform paying homage to the retailer being a ’90s-era destination for Nike Air products, which also featured Jordan in its ads. The campaign featured a YouTube video starring NBA player Jayson Tatum unearthing a time capsule full of ’90s-era items.

For its 2018 Super Bowl push, Pepsi introduced “This Is the Pepsi,” offering a new spin on its iconic 1992 commercial featuring Cindy Crawford. Pepsi also brought back its vintage packaging for a limited time and its loyalty program Pepsi Stuff.