Since its inception, adidas’ iconic Superstar shoe has stood for those who aren’t afraid to stand for something.
Source: Change Is a Team Sport
From 2015 to 2017 adidas had a grasp on everything that made fans flock to the brand. The companies marketing was incomparable, but they also had the cushioning tech BOOST to drive engagement. When the product and the marketing are in sync the outcome is growth. The problem for adidas happened in late 2017 when the brand hit a wall in design and silhouette fatigue contributed to a considerable slow down in sales, specifically in my area of resale. I utilize resale as a gauge of brand heat and when I recognized the problems I talked about it, but I knew it would be overlooked as resale happens in real time while most data is collected from previous quarters and compared with the previous year. adidas designers made a series of missteps, but this was reinforced by the three steps failing to innovate beyond Bounce and BOOST.
adidas made what I think was a mistake in listening to analysts who touted casual shoe sales and athleisure as the trend and that performance was and is in a downward decline. The problem for adidas is that when attention to casual only becomes the goal, innovation subsides. As innovation diminishes, interest responds in kind. adidas finally saw that slowdown predicted by resale hit in 2018 into 2019. The brand began to innovate again in 2019 and in 2020.
- Lightstrike was created
- Bouncelite an updated version of Bounce was developed
- FOCUSBREATHEIN a texture for the upper of shoes is being rolled out
- 4D and Sustainable Options (Primeblue and Primegreen) are being increased
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DpR50O1nGNs
Marketing has also returned to form. In a spot directed by actor Jonah Hill adidas utilizes a school setting to deliver a list of endorsers from dance, esports, sports and music in a a spot that never settles on one person, but welcomes a new person to the team. I would typically knock a “catch-all” styled campaign as trying to do too much, but in this instance I compare it to Under Armour’s “The Only Way is Through” campaign. adidas knows what it is, just like Under Armour realizes what they are.
While adidas does have Liz Cambage and Paul Pogba featured in the video, they know they can’t out “Nike” in sport alone, so why go at it alone? The Three Stripes knows that entertainers alone may work for Kanye and now Beyonce, but they also realize that Pharrell in bigger quantities can actually sit on shelves. adidas has correctly chosen to be what they are in their DNA both sport and entertainment and it works.
Keeping their mantra of sport and entertainment while operating in the niche (yes basketball is now niche… write me and I’ll explain), adidas created a 7 video series on Dame Lillard. This is notable because Dame satisfies both requirements for adidas. He is a real emcee who could just as easily have a career in music if he didn’t have a full time job as one of the deadliest swordsmen in the NBA. adidas Basketball is in a dark place. An NCAA investigation took one of their best coaches and pay to play (which takes place for every brand) is permanently associated with adidas by the federal courts. The brand has basically left basketball as an international play and in the U.S. they aren’t really making waves. That doesn’t mean they aren’t working at it. The Dame Time series is strong enough to be combined as a mini-doc and placed on Netflix (if this happens adidas you owe me a check).
The brand initially placed an ad push behind the first episode of the series, but then they left the other episodes to run organically. The outcome has been a consistent 3-4,000 views per video. Which could be seen as a failure by some, but understanding the way YouTube algorithms work for an ‘unhyped’ product/person the numbers are actually solid for a series released on December 20th with the last video above dropped on January 23rd.
I had a long back and forth on Black History Month collections with a peer. In this exchange he said that brands who aren’t all in on Black History Month should avoid doing it. adidas took that advice and avoided it. I wish they hadn’t. These collections are typically led by young Black designers in the companies. This creates a chance for those Black designers to have a voice. Last year adidas got it all wrong and pulled the shoes from the shelves. Now they have avoided it and they are all in on their entertainers and athletes. I understand it, but Dame is the perfect candidate for adidas to work with to present a Black History Month sneaker. The Oakland Native understands his roots and his legacy. adidas understands their roots and their legacy. It’s great to see the company back on the positive side (they’ve been doing some great work in sustainability, but just go with this post). A Dame BHM dedication shoe in limited quantities would have been dope, especially if it was done like the Arthur Ashe Collection.
adidas Reveals New Product for ‘Arthur Ashe Tribute Collection’