Silver
Award
CAN'T BAN GREATNESS
Jordan Brand
United States
2026
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Entrant Company
Wieden+Kennedy Portland
Entry Type
Product/Service
Program
Clio Awards 2026
Medium Type
Professional
Medium
Film
Category
61 Seconds to Five Minutes
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the Air Jordan 1, and throughout the past four decades its presence has permeated throughout culture – sports, music, entertainment, design, and much more. Why? Because the AJ1 represents defiance; the NBA tried to ban it in 1985, but MJ and the Jordan Brand said otherwise.
The problem? Younger consumers aren’t familiar with the origin story of the Air Jordan 1.
So how do you remind a generation of the enormous impact one shoe can have on the world? By showing them a world without it.
This work brought that world to life using a range of culturally relevant athletes, celebrities, designers, and musicians – all greats in their respective fields – to make a bold and simple statement: You Can’t Ban Greatness.
Walking a tightrope between telling the story of the AJ1’s impact, authentic celebrity cameos, and ensuring resonance with younger audiences across various touchpoints.
Credits
Advertising Agency
Wieden+Kennedy Portland
Portland
Advertiser / Brand
Jordan Brand
Portland
Advertising Agency
Wieden+Kennedy Portland
Portland
Advertising Agency
Wieden + Kennedy
Portland
Production Company
Imperial Woodpecker
New York
Production Company
Emilie Muller Production
Los Angeles
Editorial Company
Rock Paper Scissors
Santa Monica
Visual Effects Company
a52
Santa Monica
Color Company
TRAFIK
Santa Monica
Post Production Company
JOINT
Portland
Casting Agency
Sound & Fury
Los Angeles
Executive Creative Director
caleb jenson
wieden+kennedy
Executive Creative Director
Blair Warren
Wieden + Kennedy
Creative Director
Jordan Dinwiddie
Wieden+Kennedy
Creative Director
Emma Barnett
Wieden+Kennedy
Creative Director
Jeff Williams
Wieden+Kennedy PDX
Chief Marketing Officer
Caitlin Sargent
Jordan Brand
Sr Creative Director Brand Voice
Matt Anderson
Jordan Brand
Art Director
Jahmal Landers
Wieden+Kennedy
Copywriter
Myles Brown
Wieden+Kennedy PDX
Executive Producer
Kerli Teo
Wieden + Kennedy
Senior Producer
Emily Knight
Wieden + Kennedy
Producer
Sydni Chustz
Wieden+Kennedy
Brand Director
Paanii Annan
Wieden + Kennedy
Brand Manager
Alec Faulkner
Wieden+Kennedy
Strategic Planning
Anthony Holton
Wieden+Kennedy
Group Media Director
Brian Goldstein
Wieden+Kennedy
North America Media & Comms Director
Reme DeBisschop
Wieden + Kennedy
Media & Comms Supervisor
Bobby Finicle
Wieden + Kennedy
Media Supervisor
Casey Paxman
Wieden+Kennedy
Media Planner
Danyle Dupray
Wieden+Kennedy
Design Producer
Sarah Starr
wieden+kennedy
Design Producer
Paris Fontes-Michel
Wieden + Kennedy
Design Director
Bruno Oppido
Wieden+Kennedy
Prop Designer
Jason Scheuermann
Wieden + Kennedy
Head of Retouching
Frazer Goodbody
Wieden+Kennedy
Retouching
Shay Platz
wieden+kennedy
Retouching
Amy Ellers
wieden+kennedy
Retouching
Greg Radich
wieden+kennedy
Retoucher
Frances Brown
Wieden + Kennedy
Senior Business Affairs Manager
Laura Caldwell
Wieden+Kennedy
Business Affairs Manager
Joe Chaath
Wieden+Kennedy
Business Affairs Manager
Tim Bell
Wieden+Kennedy
Broadcast Traffic
Gregory Depp
Wieden+Kennedy
Broadcast Traffic
Maisie Plew
Wieden+Kennedy
Broadcast Traffic Manager
Katie Hall
Wieden+Kennedy
Director
Stacy Wall
Imperial Woodpecker
Director of Photography
Mihai Malaimare Jr
Imperial Woodpecker
Executive Producer
Doug Halbert
Imperial Woodpecker
Executive Producer
Charlie Cocuzza
Imperial Woodpecker
Line Producer
Candace Tomarken
Imperial Woodpecker
Production Supervisor
Minning Yu
Imperial Woodpecker
Editor
Lauren Dellara
Rock Paper Scissors
Assistant Editors
Shelly Rose
Rock Paper Scissors
Assistant Editor
Natalie Hill
Rock Paper Scissors
Senior Post Producer
Denice Hutton
Rock Paper Scissors
Senior Post Producer
Janae Abraham
Rock Paper Scissors
Head of Production
Meagen Carroll
Rock Paper Scissors
Post Executive Producer
Shada Shariatzdeh
Rock Paper Scissors
Post Executive Producer
Dre Krichevsky
Rock Paper Scissors
Creative Director
Jesse Monsour
a52
VFX Supervisor
Stefan Gaillot
a52
VFX On Set Supervisor
Naomi Anderlini
a52
CG Supervisor
Adrian Grey
a52
Lead Flame Artist
Richard Hirst
a52
Flame Artists
Dan Ellis
a52
Flame Artist
Adam Flynn
a52
Finish Artist
Michael Vaglienty
a52
Flame Artist
Gizmo Rivera
a52
Flame Artist
Patrick Poulatian
a52
Flame Artist
Rod Basham
a52
Flame Artist
Chris Riley
a52
Flame Artist
John Valle
a52
Flame Artist
Matt Monteleone
a52
3D Artists
Chris Clyne
a52
3D Artist
Mike Bettinardi
a52
3D Artist
Joe Chiechi
a52
3D Artist
Joe Paniagua
a52
3D Artist
Quinton Woodson
a52
3D Artist
Christian Sanchez
a52
3D Artist
Scott Nishiki
a52
Animator
Steven Do
a52
VFX Producer
Serena Saltzman
a52
VFX Senior Producers
Meredith Cherniack
a52
VFX Senior Producers
Serena Noorani
a52
VFX Head of Production
Drew Rissman
a52
VFX Head of Production
Zach Wakefield
a52
VFX Executive Producer
Kim Christensen
a52
VFX Executive Producer
Alex Michael
a52
Managing Director
Eve Kornblum
a52
Colorist
Daniel de Vue
Trafik
Color Assistant
Ali Soofi
Trafik
Color Producer
Geoff Linville
Trafik
Head of Production
Greer Bratschie
Trafik
Managing Partner
Robert Owens
Trafik
Lead Audio Engineer
Suat Ayas
JOINT
Associate Audio Engineer
Candace Mortier
JOINT
Assistant Audio Engineer
Ido Avraham
Joint
Producer
Louise Woodward
Joint Editorial
Assistant Audio Producer
Samuel Eisen-Meyers
Joint
Head of Production
Catherine Liu
Joint Editorial
Executive Producer
Annie Maldonado
JOINT
Chief Creative Officer
Carli Silver
Sound & Fury
Executive Producer
Liz Lefebvre
Sound & Fury
Casting Director
Kerry Barker
Sound & Fury
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