New Charles Barkley Shoes 2015: A Slam-Dunk Advertising Campaign

In the early 1990s, Nike launched a groundbreaking advertising campaign featuring none other than Charles Barkley, the NBA superstar, and Godzilla, the King of Monsters. This iconic collaboration has left an indelible mark on the world of sports marketing and pop culture alike.

For those who may have forgotten, the campaign was born out of a meeting between Nike and Wieden+Kennedy, an advertising agency responsible for creating memorable campaigns for the sportswear giant. The goal was to introduce a new basketball shoe designed specifically for big men in the Asia market, which had previously been dominated by low-top sneakers.

Warren Eakins, former art director at Wieden+Kennedy, recalls the excitement surrounding the project: 'Back in 1992, my writing partner, Steve Sandoz, and I were working on this campaign. We were huge basketball and Godzilla fans, and as soon as we heard that Charles Barkley was going to be the face of the shoe, we mouthed 'Godzilla' to each other. We knew it was going to be a slam-dunk.'

The resulting 30-second commercial featured breathtaking production value, courtesy of Industrial Light and Magic, and premiered during the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. A teaser trailer ran for several weeks before the official release, generating immense buzz around the campaign.

Charles Barkley's rising star helped revitalize the Godzilla franchise, which was struggling to gain traction in America at the time. The tie-in merchandise, including posters, comic books, and T-shirts, became instant hits among fans of both basketball and monster movies.

Today, the ad has over a million views on YouTube, cementing its place as one of the most memorable advertising campaigns of the early 1990s. For those who were there, it's a nostalgic reminder of a time when marketing magic happened. And for new generations of fans, it's a testament to the power of creative storytelling and collaboration.

The New Charles Barkley Shoes 2015 campaign may have been born out of a simple idea, but its impact on popular culture is anything but simple. It's a love letter to Godzilla, basketball, and the art of advertising – a true slam-dunk that continues to resonate with fans around the world.

New charles barkley shoes 2015