Jordan Brand Gives Basketball a Broadway Beat

Spot honors the 40th anniversary of Air Jordans

Basketball’s natural syncopation goes on display in a Broadway-style musical staged by Jordan Brand.

Jordan athletes show off song-and-dance prowess in “Too Easy,” explaining that the game only looks effortless, and they specialize in “making the impossible look routine.”

Wieden+ Kennedy created the tuneful spot to honor Air Jordan’s 40th anniversary.

The creative features NBA and WNBA stars Bam Adebayo, Trae Young, Chris Paul, Paolo Banchero, Jayson Tatum, Luka Doncic, Napheesa Collier, Dominique Malonga, Gabby Williams, Jared McCain and Kiki Rice.

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“Too Easy” moves from black-and-white to color and back again with jazzy drums and strong horns punctuating the action. A replica of the original shoe flashes on screen midway, reminding us of OG Michael Jordan.

The iconic Broadway hit “It’s the Hard-Knock Life” from Annie provides the soundtrack. Here, we get shoe-centric lyrics as celebrate athletes tell it like it is: “Instead of blocking, I’m a joke. Instead of jumping, he just floats.”

At one point, the court morphs into a flashy stage, complete with fireworks.

Below, W+K’s Jacobi Mehringer and Courtney Fields, respectively art director and copywriter, discuss the work:

Muse: How did “Too Easy” come about?

A lot of campaigns about “greatness” feel tired. We didn’t want another slow-mo, black-and-white story about grit and grind. So, we flipped the lens: What does greatness look like to someone who simply can’t compete with it? That’s when the tone shifted. The idea got sharper. It felt true to the Jordan mindset. You either have it, or you don’t.

Why is a musical the best way to celebrate?

No one’s craving another voiceover about hard work. But a guy singing about getting cooked on the court? That’s something you haven’t seen before. The musical format gave us the perfect stage to be theatrical, ruthless and unexpected. Jordan athletes show up, dominate and make it look easy. The storytelling belongs to the ones who can’t keep up—and that contrast is the whole point. Jordan isn’t just about winning. It’s about how effortless you make it look.

What is your main goal?

To spotlight basketball culture as the heartbeat of the brand. Jordan has become a cultural icon—from fashion to music to art—but its soul has always been on the court. With this campaign, we wanted to celebrate that origin and show how the game still drives everything we do. The launch of the Jordan 40 gave us the perfect moment to honor that legacy and push it forward. When you wear Jordans, you’re not stepping into a grind mindset. You’re stepping into ease. Swagger. Untouchable confidence. We’re not here to motivate. We’re here to show you what greatness looks like when it doesn’t break a sweat.

Where will it live and how will you get the word out?

The campaign launched online and during WNBA All-Star Weekend, with cutdowns across TV, social and OOH. But the real rollout happens in culture—when the next wave of hoopers lace up their Js and carry the legacy forward.

What’s the bottom-line takeaway? 

We didn’t want to say anyone can be great. We didn’t want to say hard work always pays off. Those messages are everywhere. They’ve lost their punch. Our POV is: You either have it, or you don’t. And when you have it, you make it look easy. At first glance, it sounds exclusive. But in reality, it’s an invitation. We want every kid who laces up a pair of Js to believe they’re the one. That they’re the problem the other team can’t solve. That when we say “too easy,” we’re talking about them. Because belief is where greatness begins.

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