As the economy started to turn around, a number of big-name brands broke the billion-dollar threshold. Boardroom breaks down some of the big ballers of 2023.
As the calendar turned, we looked back on a year that showed, dare I say, some bright spots in the economy for the first time in a minute. The White House confirmed that the economic growth outpaced projections while inflation slowed, much to the pleasure of the American pocketbook.
2023 a year where big business across multiple industries dominated the headlines, where the economics of big business seemed to set an ever-elevating bar. Apple crossed the $3 trillion market cap threshold at the end of a trading day for the first time in history, while “Barbenheimer” drove IMAX to its first-ever billion-dollar revenue year.
Boardroom breaks down some of the big winners across sports, fashion, technology, and entertainment in 2023. Let’s dive in.
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Jordan Brand Remix Line
Jordan Brand rode a big year in revenue into the No. 2 sneaker slot. A huge driver of success for the Jumpman was its Remix footwear line. Jordan Brand is moving units seven days a week worldwide by diffusing distinct nostalgia from their famed Saturday retro launches across “Remix” lifestyle shoes.
Driven by the breakout success of models such as the Max Aura and Stadium 90, the line brought in more than $1 billion in revenue and posted more than double-digit growth when compared to 2022.
Tallahassee Tourism
Florida State football may have reached an unsatisfying end to its 2023 campaign; however, the Seminoles’ home city was a huge winner.
Tallahassee Tourism unveiled a net revenue of $1.3 billion for the calendar year. More than 2.3 tourists visited the city, drawn by the maroon and gold and Talahassee’s Adderley Amphitheater, which opened early in the year.
OpenAI
When looking back on 2023, it will go down as the year of AI. We all became familiar with the promise — and threat — of ChatGPT, meanwhile the potential of AI took its place at the center of some of the biggest labor disruptions. In the mix of all of those conversations? OpenAI. The company rounded out the year with a bit of chaos, as the board removed its CEO, Sam Altman, who later found himself back in the boardroom just days later after a quick stint at Microsoft.
However, not even a bit of industry drama could slow down the record-setting year. OpenAI closed out 2023, surrounded by rumors that it was heading into a fundraising round with a valuation approaching $100 billion.
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Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift set a new bar in 2023. She continued her tradition of re-recording and releasing her own music after losing the battle for her masters to Scooter Braun. However, her legal loss proved to be a huge win for Swift. Each re-release has broken records and set her as a steady resident in multiple top slots on the Billboard 200.
Last year, Swift redefined success on tour. Her international Eras Tour became the first tour in history to eclipse $1 billion … and she’s still going, with dates scheduled deep into 2024. Additionally, she brokered a major deal with AMC Theaters to bring the experience to the silver screen. In doing so, she’s set yet another record with the top performing live concert film of all time, taking down Michael Jackson.
Her influence has extended beyond her own body of work, driving her beau, Travis Kelce, to new heights. Even the juggernaut that is the NFL has cashed in on the Swift effect, seeing its ratings soar as she makes her place in the VIP suite each Sunday.
IMAX
In what will forever be known as the year of Barbenheimer, box offices everywhere rebounded to levels not seen since before the global pandemic. While 2023 marked an overall challenging year for Hollywood amidst the SAG and writers strikes, film fans showed out in drones to take in the year’s most popular films.
With the blazing success of such hits as Barbie, Oppenheimer, and Super Mario Bros., IMAX found itself over the billion-dollar line for the first time in history. The company announced that its annual sales totaled $1.06 billion for 2023, marking a 22% increase year-over-year. In addition to the breakout films, IMAX housed a record 98 titles in 2023, including The Eras Tour Film, simply proving that there was not much that T Swift didn’t turn to gold.
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