Since it was first introduced to the world over 50 years ago, the Trefoil has lived a thousand lifetimes, trading feet with everyone, from athletes to cultural pioneers. Marking the arrival of a new e
Undoubtedly Yeezy generated considerable revenue for adidas, but there is this misrepresentation of the time leading up to Yeezy’s importance for the brand. While Ye was only a limited release, scarce sneaker in the earlier stages and didn’t really shape revenue because the drops were too small, adidas used a media strategy to support Originals (which was attaining crazy sales with the Stan Smith and Superstar and the company’s growth was bolstered by a hot NMD category. With their new tech and concepts to drive interest, Yeezy was escorted into a solid delivery system in 2017 when adidsa began to ramp up production numbers. I documented the moment here on the site as the Trefoil won a Grand Prix in marketing:
Remember Life Before Ye?
With Ye out of the door, a recapturing of form appears to be taking place at adidas. The brand is no longer relying solely on a Yeezy drop to generate interest. The brand is utilizing imagery and videos to once again inspire consumers to fall in love with the classics again. Why is this important? From 2015 to 2017 adidas rode a product and marketing wave which completely disrupted Nike’s momentum and highlighted the shortcomings of the Swoosh. Nike was able to correct their issues at the end of 2017 and regained speed, but this is a very similar moment for the major rivals. The difference this time around is the smaller brands aren’t a faltering Under Armour collapsing under the weight of Connected Fitness. The smaller brands are extremely healthy and growing. Brooks Running, HOKA, On-Running, are all capable of snatching away small sections of performance and adidas and their ability to completely control off the pitch style is affecting how Nike can move in the casual space.
The Films
Keeping the focus on adidas, these three films are very good and remind me of “The Future” series which won the Grand Prix of marketing for the Three Stripes. With the Samba and Gazelle showing up everywhere in fashion and the dirty Air Force 1 trend seemingly coming to an end, how will the next wave take shape? Will this inspired adidas make North America forget about Ye? If the Superstar video is any indication, I’m saying “Ye who?” Check out the video below and if you’ve seen Winning Time, it’s clear the initial stage of the film plays on Cap, but the film doesn’t stop there. Wolfe carries the Superstar across time and culture. Kareem’s martial arts experience, B-Boying, rap and a connection to counterculture is represented. I connect with every aspect which means it crosses age lines in a beautiful way.