Reebok Pump Michael Chang Ad

Back in the early ’90s, the Reebok Pump was just as popular as Nike’s Air Jordans.

Reebok had some pretty good ads about how their shoes could be “inflated” to conform to your foot for a better fit, complete with some technical diagrams of a foot and a shoe.

But two athletes took the Reebok Pumps to the next level.

#1) Dee Brown: In the 1991 Slam Dunk Contest, the Boston Celtics rookie bent down and dramatically “pumped up” his shoes, then threw down a monster slam. It was awesome.

#2) Michael Chang: One of the most popular tennis players in the late 80s and 90s, he was known for his style (specifically, his Reebok Pumps).

This ad is great because it highlights Chang’s personal Pump settings (left foot: 16 pumps, right foot: 21 pumps).

It makes the Pumps’ individual settings sound just as important as his other equipment, like his tennis racket’s grip size and string tension. It’s a great way to elevate a good looking shoe into an ESSENTIAL element that’ll give an athlete a competitive edge.