WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Michael Jordan and Hanes? Nothing else feels so right – for three decades.
It all started in 1989. Jordan scored the 10,000th point in his basketball career and hit “The Shot,” one of the most dramatic NBA playoff-series winning buzzer beaters in the history of the sport. It was also the year that Jordan and Hanes first teamed up and told consumers that, “Nothing else feels so right.”
The partnership between two icons from North Carolina was meant to be – and has stood the test of time, according to Sidney Falken, chief branding officer for HanesBrands.
“Michael has always had his pick of brands to endorse, and we are incredibly honored that he has chosen to stay with ours for the past three decades,” Falken said. “This is one of the longest-running and most successful partnerships of its type to date – a powerful statement about Michael and Hanes.”
To celebrate the 30th year of the basketball legend and his favorite underwear brand, Hanes is launching a promotion designed to be a slam dunk for consumers. Beginning March 11, more than 800,000 specially marked bonus packs of Hanes men’s underwear, including Comfort Flex Fit boxer briefs, will contain a pack of 30th Anniversary Michael Jordan trading cards.
A total of 170 different Fleer trading cards have been produced by The Upper Deck Company, each with a picture of Jordan from one of his Hanes advertisements on the front and vital statistics and fun facts on the back. Cards are inserted randomly in five-card packs. Ten lucky consumers will find a rare Michael Jordan autograph card in their packs.
“Through the years, we’ve certainly benefitted from Michael’s enduring popularity with such a wide audience,” Falken said. “MJ continues to be one of the most recognizable people in the world, and we’re thrilled he’s working with us to make the world a more comfortable place.”
Reflecting on 30 years with the company, Jordan said: “I’ve always had a special bond with Hanes and the people there. We’ve been together for a long time now spreading the word about comfort, style and innovation – and filming some fun commercials along the way. It’s truly been a great relationship, and I’m happy to be celebrating this milestone with them.”
A limited number of bonus packs with trading cards are available on the Hanes website and across all retail channels – from dollar to department stores, both in store and online. Consumers can find the bonus packs in special displays that feature visuals of the cards in Kohl’s, JC Penney, Walmart, Meijer, Kmart and Dollar General.
Television spots supporting the promotion will be aired during March Madness on CBS, TBS, TNT and TruTV; on ESPN, CBS Sports and other cable sports networks; and on FX, MTV/MTV2, ION and a variety of other cable stations.
Hanes
Hanes, America’s
No. 1 apparel brand, is a leading brand of intimate apparel, underwear,
sleepwear, socks and casual apparel. Hanes products can be found
at leading retailers nationwide and online direct to consumers at www.Hanes.com.
The Upper Deck Company
Upper
Deck is a worldwide sports and entertainment company built on the
pillars of quality craftsmanship, authenticity and innovation, with a
dedication to creating products that turn memorable moments into
collectibles. Upper Deck is home to the world’s greatest athletes,
including Michael Jordan, Serena Williams, Wayne Gretzky, Tiger Woods,
Connor McDavid, LeBron James and Ben Simmons.
HanesBrands
HanesBrands, based
in Winston-Salem, N.C., is a socially responsible leading marketer of
everyday basic innerwear and activewear apparel in the Americas, Europe,
Australia and Asia-Pacific. The company sells its products under some of
the world’s strongest apparel brands, including Hanes, Champion,
Bonds, Maidenform, DIM, Bali, Playtex, Bras
N Things, Nur Die/Nur Der, Alternative, L’eggs, JMS/Just
My Size, Lovable, Wonderbra, Berlei, and Gear for Sports.
The company sells T-shirts, bras, panties, shapewear, underwear, socks,
hosiery, and activewear produced in the company’s low-cost global supply
chain. A Fortune 500 company and member of the S&P 500 stock index
(NYSE: HBI), Hanes has approximately 68,000 employees in more than 40
countries. For more information, visit the company’s corporate website
at www.Hanes.com/corporate
and newsroom at https://newsroom.hanesbrands.com/.
Connect with the company via social media: Twitter (@hanesbrands),
Facebook (www.facebook.com/hanesbrandsinc),
Instagram (@hanesbrands_careers),
and LinkedIn (@Hanesbrandsinc).