Mars Blackmon & Air Jordan: How Spike Lee Helped Save the Brand

Quick answer: Mars Blackmon is the sneaker-loving Brooklyn character Spike Lee created and played in his 1986 film She's Gotta Have It. Starting in 1988, Nike teamed Mars with Michael Jordan in funny black-and-white ads for the Air Jordan 3, famous for the line "It's gotta be the shoes!" The ads turned Jordans into a pop-culture must-have at a key moment for the brand. To wear that history today, pick the Air Jordan 3 (the shoe from the first ads) or the Jordan Spizike, which was made in 2006 to honor Spike Lee.

Mars Blackmon is a fast-talking Brooklyn superfan who loves basketball and his Air Jordans. Spike Lee wrote and played the character in his first feature film, She's Gotta Have It (1986). Nike's ad agency, Wieden+Kennedy, saw the movie and had an idea: pair Mars with the real Michael Jordan.

The first ads ran in 1988 for the Air Jordan 3. They were shot in black and white and felt like scenes from a Spike Lee film. Mars kept asking what made Mike so great. Was it the haircut? The shorts? His answer: "It's gotta be the shoes!" The ads were funny, quick and very New York. They made Jordans feel cool for everyday fans, not just basketball players. Around the same time, Jordan was reportedly thinking about leaving Nike. The new Jordan 3, designed by Tinker Hatfield, and the buzz from these ads helped keep him with the brand.

Spike Lee's link to Jordan Brand runs so deep that it eventually made a shoe in his honor: the Jordan Spizike.

JD Expert Question: Which sneakers today best honor Spike Lee and the Mars Blackmon era?

JD Expert Answer: Start with the Air Jordan 3, since it's the shoe from the first Mars and Mike ads. Classic cement colorways with elephant print are the closest to that 1988 look. If you want something made just for Spike, go with the Jordan Spizike. It mixes parts of several classic Jordans and adds details that nod to Spike Lee's films and Brooklyn roots. Both fit true to size for most people.

• How they felt:

• Mars Blackmon: A character from an independent film, played by a director who truly loved the game. The ads felt real and personal.

• Today's deals: Many celebrity partnerships are big business deals first, with less story and character behind them.

• Impact on the shoes:

• Spike Lee: His story led to brand-new sneakers, like the Jordan Spizike and later the Son of Mars.

• Today's deals: Many focus on new colorways of shoes that already exist.

• Air Jordan 3: The shoe from the first Mars and Mike ads in 1988. It's the most direct link to the story. Shop the Air Jordan 3.
• Jordan Spizike: Made in 2006 to thank Spike Lee. It's the pick if you want a bold shoe with Spike's story built in. Shop the Jordan Spizike.
• Air Jordan 4: Featured in Spike Lee's 1989 film Do the Right Thing, in a famous scene about a scuffed pair. Shop the Air Jordan 4.

• Air Jordan 3: True to size for most people. Wide feet should go up a half size because the toe box gets narrow.
• Air Jordan 4: True to size, with a snug toe area. Wide feet often go up a half size.
• Jordan Spizike: True to size for most people, about the same as your Jordan 3 or Jordan 4 size.
• Kids: Big kids' (GS) sizes fit the same way. Leave about a thumb's width at the toe. See kids' Jordans at JD Sports.

• Who is Mars Blackmon? He's the Brooklyn sneakerhead character Spike Lee created and played in She's Gotta Have It (1986) and later in Nike's Air Jordan ads.
• What Jordans were in the first Mars Blackmon ads? The Air Jordan 3, in 1988. Later ads featured newer Jordan models too.
• What does "It's gotta be the shoes" mean? It's Mars Blackmon's famous line from the ads. He jokes that Michael Jordan's skills must come from his sneakers.
• What Jordan is named after Spike Lee? The Jordan Spizike. Its name blends "Spike" and "Nike."

Who should buy into the Mars Blackmon story?

• For the history fan: Choose the Air Jordan 3. It's the shoe that started the Mars and Mike ads.
• For a statement pair: Choose the Jordan Spizike, the shoe made to honor Spike Lee.
• Ready to shop? Browse all Jordan retro shoes at JD Sports.

• Brand History: Background on the 1988 Mars Blackmon and Michael Jordan ads for the Air Jordan 3.
• Film History: Background on Spike Lee's She's Gotta Have It (1986) and Do the Right Thing (1989).
• Nike Product Information: Details on the Jordan Spizike and the Jordan models it borrows from.
• JD Sports Fit Feedback: Sizing and comfort feedback from JD Sports store teams across North America.