In 1992, decades before the advent of viral marketing, Upper Deck pulled off one of the most memorable marketing stunts ever. The sports card company secretly put up a billboard in Chicago: it was white, with only two words: “Dealer in Jordan.”
These efforts immediately became local, and then national, news. Trade Michael Jordan? The Chicago Bulls star who just led the team to back-to-back championships, earning an MVP award in the process?
It was, of course, a hoax. Upper Deck wasn’t trying to convince the Bulls to trade MJ, they were eager to announce something new: an exclusive licensing agreement for trading cards, images of which would eventually replace that stark white billboard.
35 years later, Upper Deck is reviving the billboard, featuring it in a new video marketing campaign centered around Michael Jordan, of course, who signed an extension with the brand, continuing the decades-long partnership, even as the sports and media landscape has changed dramatically.
New campaign slogan? “You don’t trade greatness, you keep it for life.”
He watches:
The collectibles brand on Tuesday unveiled its new partnership with Jordan, one that will elevate the NBA legend-turned-NASCAR owner to a “Legacy Partner,” giving him enhanced oversight over what collectibles are made, and cracking down on counterfeits in a market where celebrity and sports autographs are in high demand.
“I’m proud to be Upper Deck’s first Legacy Partner. For more than 30 years, this partnership has been about creating something different — something card and memorabilia collectors can’t find anywhere else. I’m looking forward to what comes next,” Jordan said in a statement.
“I can’t speak for Michael and the decision. What I can say is that we’ve had a very close relationship, I think the longest-standing relationship in the industry,” says Jason Machera, president of Upper Deck. “He is a keynote speaker and an essential part of the Upper Deck legacy, and I don’t see that changing any time soon.”
“A big part of our job as Upper Deck is to make sure that our exclusive sports people are high profile, and no one can be more high profile than Michael here in sports,” Meshrah said, when asked about legacy partner status. “Part of it is creating new products and making sure we’re making things that are new and unique and different in this space, but again, a big part is making sure that collectors are protected and making sure that we’re working hand in hand with Michael and his team to go after counterfeiters and illegals and scammers in this space.”
In connection with the deal, Upper Deck this week will be auctioning off a new Jordan Chase: signed and sealed packs of 1986-87 Fleer basketball cards, numbered 23. The company will also be auctioning off a sealed box of 1986-87 Fleer on eBay, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.
The campaign, which builds on that billboard-driven news cycle, in many ways underscores the changing nature of fame, as many of the world’s biggest celebrities are also athletes. Jordan, who starred in Space Jam, contributes to NBC’s NBA coverage and now owns a championship-caliber NASCAR team, is perhaps the perfect example.
Although Upper Deck has bet the farm on deals with other sports stars (as well as some established entertainment IPs, like Harry Potter, DC Comics, and Looney Tunes).
“I think the most important thing for us, when we look at Upper Deck endorsements, is to find athletes that fit the tagline of ‘Collect the best,’” Meshrah says. “So when you look at our group of exclusive athletes, we have Michael and Tiger.” [Woods], [Wayne] Gretzky, Patrick Roy, Bobby Orr, Alex Morgan, Cary Walsh Jennings, these are some of the greatest athletes in the history of sports. We’ll continue to look at that, and then we’ll continue to focus on kind of our core sports, and then look for new opportunities, whether it’s Skye Brown, who’s going to shine at the Olympics here in ’28.
Does this mean that other “legacy partners” may come in the future?
“I think there are other candidates in our pool of athletes who are important pieces and want to become more involved in the day-to-day, but we’re not there yet,” Maschera says.
