Sneaker fans experienced a full-court press at the NBA’s All-Star weekend in Los Angeles this month. Nike's Jordan Brand unleashed a series of activations throughout the city, putting in action a playbook for retailers looking to make a real-world impact on brand enthusiasts.

In-person activations offer a fresh way to break through to digital-weary consumers, especially younger ones.

• 81% of Gen Zers, and 78% of millennials, say they wish they could disconnect from digital devices more easily, according to a February 2025 Quad and The Harris Poll survey.
• 77% of Gen Z and millennial consumers plan travel around specific store visits, per ANA and The Harris Poll.

The brand hosted multiple store takeovers, as well as a temporary “Jordan Brand House” headquarters, a multi-purpose space that featured a basketball court, a flea market, surprise guest speakers and athletes, and other community activities.

“Some brands like Nike have the money to do whatever,” said Brendan McDermott, CEO of Freehold Group, the agency that designed and built the Jordan Brand experiences. “There are other brands that have a limited budget, but there are still ways to connect consumers to those brands with those intimate moments they can create.”

Community-driven presence

The Jordan Brand All-Star weekend takeover was strategically designed with knowledge of the location and fanbase. Branded retail experiences were built at eight stores across Los Angeles, known by shoe enthusiasts, including Shoe Palace Little Tokyo and JD Sports Inglewood.

These locations drew traffic because of excitement around All-Star weekend, new product announcements, and the longstanding presence of the brand in the community.

• For example, NBA star and Jordan Brand ambassador Russell Westbrook helped renovate LA’s Crenshaw Family YMCA in 2021.

The brand says the large Jordan Brand House was designed with the community in mind, open to the general public to shoot hoops, participate in a flea market by local sellers, and check out new shoes and apparel.

“It’s a really interesting way for a brand to not only to show up for retail, which they have to do, because it’s their pinnacle moment during All-Star Weekend, but then to also have these community-involvement moments, I think it’s really incredible,” McDermott said.

Connected experiences

Jordan Brand supported the All-Star Weekend takeover with out-of-home activations, as well as targeted “shoe drops.” Fans could find out on social media what new sneakers would be on view at the Jordan Brand House and other store takeovers. They also teased product releases in the media, announcing a limited-edition rerelease of the “BIN 23” Jordan 6.

“Jordan does a very good job of dropping things on Instagram, letting people know last-minute, creating buzz, creating energy,” McDermott said. “A key part of why they’re so successful in the experiential space is they keep consumers tied to that social feed, ready to go when they say they’ve got the next thing.”

Consistency and value

Freehold Group designs retail experiences for flagship stores, in addition to pop-ups. The aim is to create brand consistency, so consumers connect the brand with the experience, wherever they engage with the brand or store.

Another important aspect of successful experiential activations is offering an experience that goes beyond just shopping.

Pop-ups should share the same goals as permanent retail stores, including ease of access and information about products, according to McDermott.

“When kids walk into [Jordan Brand House], their jaws drop and their eyes open, and it’s such a cool thing to see that connection,” McDermott said. “But in-store is the same. You want people to have an equally powerful experience. And that’s the most important piece, to connect all that together for brands.”

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