Nike and JD Sports Bring Underground Music to Mainstream Airwaves for Air Max Day

To celebrate Nike Air Max Day on March 26th, Nike and JD Sports created a radio show, ON AIR.MAX, live from JD Sports in Times Square, NYC – featuring some of the city’s most vital emerging talent.

Before Air Max was iconic in the mainstream, it was flexed by icons of the underground. Together with AKQA, Nike gave back to the music scene that put Air Max on the map, with a day of live broadcasts from JD Sports NYC, bringing underground artists to mainstream airwaves.

The live studio teleported audiences in-store and at-home back to the pirate radio era, with heavy influences from hip hop and grime culture. Paying homage to old school radio giveaways, lucky listeners called in to secure exclusive Air Max Day prize packs, including iconic vinyls and classic Air Max silhouettes. Shoppers in store were able to unlock the new Air Max Pulse, which launched exclusively at JD Sports – all while being exposed to the next generation of New York’s underground music scene.                                    

Nike also invited special guest, Bel-Air star Jabari Banks, for a one-off personal appearance in-store.

AKQA executive creative director Luciana Cani said: “It’s so inspiring to see the new generation come together to celebrate what Air Max truly is about – passion and rebellious creativity – two traits that underground artists embody the best. We’re especially thrilled that this celebration comes to life through a radio station – because it’s super impactful for underground artists to hear their music on a mainstream broadcast. And for a generation that rarely interacts with radio, this is such a memorable and unique way to connect them with new artists and Air Max.”