Building Nike with Jason Mayden: Designing the Jordan Brand through Emotional Connection

Since 1985, when the first pair of Air Jordan’s were released to the public, the Jordan brand has stood at the intersection of culture, design excellence, and self-expression. Today, Jason Mayden, Chief Design Officer of the Jordan brand at Nike, is ushering in the next era. Jason, who grew up on the South Side of Chicago, started as an intern at Nike and worked his way up to lead the design of iconic shoes for the Jordan brand.

In this episode of Building One, Tomer Cohen sits down with Jason to discuss the power of emotional connection in product design. Jason shares his philosophy that great design goes beyond product features—it’s about how a product makes people feel about themselves. He explains why emotional resonance, rather than just performance specs, is the key to building lasting brand loyalty and remaining culturally relevant.

Jason also opens up about his neurodivergence, explaining how embracing his unique cognitive strengths has helped him innovate and excel in design. He shares how understanding his brain wiring allowed him to think differently and bring fresh perspectives to Nike’s product creation process.

Part of Jason’s approach is fostering creativity by involving non-design functions—like HR and legal—early in the process. He believes that bringing in fresh perspectives from across the company can lead to more innovative products and a stronger sense of ownership across teams.

Finally, Jason emphasizes the importance of a growth mindset, a principle he learned from Michael Jordan himself. He shares how continuously learning and evolving is crucial for long-term success, both for individuals and brands.

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