To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the iconic Air Jordan sneaker, Nike’s Jordan Brand didn’t just drop a shoe, they dropped the mic. In a dazzling musical spot titled “Too Easy,” the brand trades jump shots for jazz hands in a two-and-a-half-minute basketball-meets-Broadway spectacle that’s as bold as the legacy it honors.
Set to a remixed version of Annie’s “Hard-Knock Life,” the Wieden+Kennedy-created ad transforms a black-and-white court into a technicolor stage, blending old-school musical charm with modern-day hoop swagger. The result? A surreal, high-energy ode to what it means to make greatness look effortless — or in the brand’s own words, “Too Easy.”
Directed with the precision of a no-look pass and the flair of a buzzer-beater three, the spot features a stacked cast of NBA and WNBA stars, including Bam Adebayo, Trae Young, Chris Paul, Paolo Banchero, Jayson Tatum, Luka Dončić, Napheesa Collier, Dominique Malonga, Gabby Williams, Jared McCain, and Kiki Rice.
Each athlete hits their mark with rhythm and grace, weaving in and out of the choreography with a natural ease that underscores the brand’s message: these athletes don’t just play the game — they elevate it. Watch below:
The musical also marks the official launch of the Air Jordan 40 in “The Classic” colorway, a sleek, futuristic silhouette designed for the next generation of greats. The campaign is part of Jordan Brand’s “40 Years of Greatness” celebration, which kicked off earlier this year with the “You Can’t Ban Greatness” spot, a cinematic throwback to the moment Jordan was fined for wearing the original sneakers in a league that wasn’t ready.
The singing? Strong. The camerawork? Outstanding, dynamic without being dizzying, capturing every pivot, pirouette, and power dunk with precision. And let’s talk about that shift from black and white to full color: it’s more than a visual flex; it’s a metaphor for the transformation that happens when style meets skill, and history meets the present.
Wieden+Kennedy has been with the Jordan Brand since day one, signing Nike as its first client in 1982. Four decades later, they’re still rewriting the rules, this time, with a musical number.
Consider me blown away. And singing.
Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360 News. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on Twitter at @colinthewriter1
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