I’ve been very vocal about how successful adidas campaigns have been. The blend of edgy imagery and the intentional grainy presentation that appears both flawed yet precise, making the style in the ads feel attainable, is one of the primary reasons the digital reach of adidas has helped the company gain share of the market. With the growth of a company though there will be missteps. This ad doesn’t quite feel true. It feels like a rehash that is devoid of the connection the original “My Way” spots created.
What’s even worse is the spot uses Young Thug who was recently under contract with Puma and marketing their lifestyle looks. Which leads me back to my discussion on how shaky it is to utilize influencers who lack any real loyalty to any brand.
At 5,031,705 views adidas has nailed the process of creating controversy which means that the ad has accomplished its goal of being seen due to the use of Kendall Jenner and the fact that no one feels that she is original in any way. I see a completely different issue here. The imagery was fresh when it was introduced, but this feels like an extension of the original with less interesting people. I mean in the OG ad you had Brandon Ingram juxtaposed with Kareem, and a recreation of Doggystyle with the female dog in the superior position to Snoop. It was a complete flip. This time it may have the views, but it’s lazy and not focusing on the product isn’t dope, it’s just “meh”. You may have generated discussion, but this could be a sign of the brand becoming complacent. I hope it isn’t because their campaigns are forcing other brands to step up and we all need that.
The video is below.