"On one side was Michael Jordan. In black-and-white tones, show his classic leap from the free-throw line, his walk in the air, his fadeaway jumper. Use majestic symphonic music to portray him as the one and only 'God' in the temple of basketball, inviolable and sacred. The tagline had to be short and powerful: 'Classics define greatness.'"
"On the other side was Allen Iverson. Use the brightest, most restless colors, with a street-graffiti-style backdrop, to show his dazzling crossovers, his fearless charges into the paint, and the resolute look in his eyes as he got back up after being knocked down. The background music had to be the hottest Hip-Hop of the moment, preferably something by Jay-Z or DMX. The tagline had to be just as confrontational: 'The Answer overturns everything.'"
As Falk listened, he jotted down notes furiously, feeling his blood boil. This was no longer about selling shoes—this was about starting a cultural war!
Li Fei continued, "Second, product bundling. Immediately design a limited-edition 'God and The Answer' set. Put two pairs of shoes in one box. One pair will be a retro Air Jordan 1, representing the origin of 'God'; the other will be The Answer I in its newest colorway, representing the birth of 'The Answer.' This set will be sold in a limited run of one hundred exclusively at our brand's pop-up store during All-Star Weekend in Oakland. Price it high—we need scarcity and buzz."
"Third, guide public opinion. Have our PR team casually seed discussion topics across major forums and sports programs, encouraging fans to debate. 'Jordan's elegance or Iverson's defiance—which is the future of basketball?' 'Order or chaos—which side are you on?' We need this argument to spread from basketball into the entire sphere of social culture. We need everyone, whether they watch