TBWA/Berlin for adidas – A Giant Case History
Posted: December 28, 2012 Filed under: Agency, Ambient, Awards, Cannes Lions, Case History, Event, Germany, Guerilla, Installation, Press/Outdoor, Sportwear | Tags: adidas, Ambient, Boris Schwiedrzik, Cologne Central Station, Emiliano Treierveiler, Erik Gonan, football fresco, Germany, Guerilla, Helge Bloch, Hendrik Scweder, impossible goalkeeper, impossible huddle, Impossible is nothing, Kurt-Georg Dieckert, Marco Bezerra, Oliver Kahn Bridge, Outdoor, Petr Cech, Prater ferris wheel, Stefan Schmidt, TBWA, UEFA, Zurich's Central Station Leave a comment »IMPOSSIBLE GOALKEEPER
Just before the start of the UEFA Euro 2008 football tournament, adidas turned one of Vienna’s best-known landmarks, the Prater ferris wheel, into a huge image of the Czech national goalkeeper, Petr Cech. At a whooping 53m tall, this gigantic installation was visible far beyond the Prater entertainment park and the nearby public viewing sites. In the installation, Cech had eight arms that constantly rotated with the ferries wheel. The erection of the metal construction started on May 13 and was finished just before the launch of the tournament on the night of June 5, 2008. This advertising landmark also hosted the official adidas press conference prior to the tournament.
Advertising Agency: TBWA/Berlin
Creative Director: Stefan Schmidt
Creative: Marco Bezerra, Emiliano Treierveiler
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OLIVER KAHN BRIDGE
If you travelled to Munich for the first game of the FIFA World Cup in 2006, chances are you saw this huge installation, which shows an enormous Oliver Kahn (the then German national team goalkeeper) diving across the motorway. The 65-m installation managed to bypass the law forbidding advertising on the German Autobahn, and was the only piece of advertising adidas conducted in Germany during the tournament. Over 4 millions people commuted through the installation and many more saw it in the press. In its first week the Oliver Kahn bridge was displayed on double-page spreads in leading magazines including Focus, Stern, Autobild and Fortune. It was also picked up by newspapers including the New York Times and the Financial Times.
Advertising Agency: TBWA/Berlin
Creative Director: Stefan Schmidt, Kurt-Georg Dieckert
Creative: Helge Bloch, Boris Schwiedrzik
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IMPOSSIBLE HUDDLE
For the duration of the UEFA EURO 2008 football tournament, TBWA/Berlin transformed the main hall of Zurich’s Central Station into a large-scale celebration of team spirit. Eleven European football players (all sponsored by adidas, naturally) formed the Impossible huddle. The bodies of the footballers represented were 3D-scanned as were their faces and hairstyles, to ensure that the sculptures were faithful to the originals. It took 40 trucks to move the installation components from the production sites in southern Germany to Switzerland, where they were assembled in the station.
The Swiss rail authority reported that an estimate 13 million people passed through the station during the three-week period the sculptural installation was in site, and at 17m high and approximately 30m wide, it was impossible to miss. Add to this the fact that various news titles such as the Financial Times, Die Welt, Gazzetta dello Sport, Le Parisien and the BBC featured the campaign on their front pages or online editions, plus the fact that it was picked up by dozens of blog worldwide.
Advertising Agency: TBWA/Berlin
Creative Director: Stefan Schmidt, Markus Ewertz
Creative: Erik Gonan, Hendrik Scweder
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FOOTBALL FRESCO
During the German-hosted 2006 FIFA World Cup, adidas wanted to get across the message that they cooperate with the best football players on the planet. Rather than run a traditional poster campaign, the creatives at TBWA/Berlin decided it would be far more impressive to create a huge Renaissance-style fresco on the ceiling of the main lobby of Cologne Central Station. Within minutes of the fresco’s unveiling, it was featured on national German Television and press covered it throughout the World Cup. More than 8.5 million people saw the frersco in the flesh during the course of the tournament.
Advertising Agency: TBWA/Berlin
Creative Director: Stefan Schmidt, Kurt-Georg Dieckert
Creative: Helge Bloch, Boris Schwiedrzik
Nike – The Chain (the World’s Longest User Generated Video)
Posted: December 3, 2012 Filed under: Cannes Lions, Case History, Denmark, Digital, Sportwear, Testimonial, Viral | Tags: Cannes Lions, Case History, Digital, FramFab Denmark, Join the chain, kicking a ball, Nike, Ronaldinho, The Chain, the World's Longest User Generated Vide Leave a comment »The Chain is the world’s longest user generated football video and is edited together from user submissions. The Chain is a feast of homebrewed football moves from all corners of the globe, with one user passing the ball to the next. The brand moves from being a speaker to being a facilitator of the message of the global movement for beautiful football. The consumers become the voice.
The Chain campaign was kicked off – literally – by Ronaldinho. The football star was filmed kicking a ball out of the camera frame, and then viewers were encouraged to filmed the following link in the chain. The rules were very simple: the ball must enter from the left and exit to the right. Beyond this the participants could show off thei footballing skills any way they liked. Over 40.000 films were uploaded to the website, with 2.000 of those selected for use in The Chain, a two-hour football video that has been viewed by more than 20 million people.
Advertising Agency: FramFab Denmark, Copenhagen
Creative Director: Lars Cortsen
Copywriter: Thomas Robson
Art Director: Rasmus Frandsen
Designer: Kristian Groove Møller
Interactive Designer: Kristian Groove Moller, Martin Mohr
Programmer: Martin Ludvigsen
Technical Director: Jesper Arvidson
Producer: Simon Ryhede/Michael Amsinck
Year: 2006
GOLD LION (2006, Cannes International Advertising Festival)
GOLD (2006, London International Awards)
GOLD (2006, Epica – Europes premier creative awards) ,
GRANDPRIX (2006, Eurobest Awards),
GOLD (2007, The One Show),
GOLD (2007, CLIO, “Fresh Approach”), SILVER (2007, CLIO, “Brand Building”),
NOMINATION (2007, D&AD Awards”)
Adidas: Adicolor Project – United Colors of adidas
Posted: October 24, 2012 Filed under: Animation, Art, Case History, Design, Digital, Graphic, Graphic Design, Illustration, Promotion, Sportwear, Testimonial, USA, Viral | Tags: adicolor, adidas, Animation, black, Case History, colour, costomization, Digital, green, Happy, idealogue, Neill Blomkamp, personal expression, pink, Psyop, red, Roman Coppola and Andy Bruntel, Saimon Chow and Charlie White, Tronic, USA, Viral, white, yellow Leave a comment »
The adicolor podcast is a series of seven short films created for adidas to celebrate “colour, costomization and personal expression”. The films were created to be specifically viewed on iPods, PSPs and online, which was still a fairly revolutionary proposition back in 2006 when the films were made. A team of excellent directors was put together, with Neill Blomkamp, Psyop, Happy, Tronic, Roman Coppola and Andy Bruntel, Saimon Chow and Charlie White each given an entirely open brief to create a film based on their emotional response to a particular colour. The podcasts related to the adicolor global digital campaign for which adidas had asked 20 artists to design a shoe based on their response to a colour. The films feature such surreal scenes as an orgiastic dinner party involving green paintball splashes and a pink-loving teenager’s transformation into a bejewelled figurine. With an original goal of achieving one million views globally, the campaign actually achieved over 25 million views in just seven weeks.
Adicolor BLACK
Stills from Saiman Chow’s film for the colour BLACK. The film is a surreal tale about a lonely, crazed panda.
Adicolor PINK
Charlie White directed the adicolor PINK film, which sees a teenager turn into a bewelled figurine while her pink teddy looks on helplessly.
Adicolor BLUE
Psyop is behind the adicolor blue film, where New York City is turned black and white, apart from the odd splashes of blue.
Adicolor GREEN
Adicolor green by Happy shows a space-age dinner party where everything gets a little out of hand after some green treats are consumed.
Adicolor WHITE
Adicolor WHITE was directed by Tronic and sees Jenna Jameson enthusiastically playing a funfair game.
Adicolor YELLOW
Neil Blomkamp directed the adicolor YELLOW film, a gripping tale about robots and artificial life.
Adicolor RED
Roman Coppola and Andy Bruntel created this animated history of the colour red for the adicolor RED film.
Advertising Agency: Idealogue, New York
Year: 2006
Vitro for Asics – STOP AT NEVER Campaign
Posted: September 17, 2012 Filed under: Case History, Digital, Sportwear, Testimonial, USA, Viral | Tags: asics, black belt, Case History, catapult demo, feet for hands demo, fountain test, inverted tennis, jackhammer, John Vitro, Jonas Hallberg, levitation test, Liron Reznik, lite show, paint by stencil, pasta test, sink or sprint test, stop at never, urban treadmill, USA, vertigo test, Viral, Vitro Leave a comment »
In April 2011, top sportswear manufacturer ASICS has launched STOP AT NEVER Campaign that demonstrates the amazing capabilities of its footwear. In a series of ads that also feature real athletes, ASICS puts its footwear through every kind of test imaginable. The campaign seeks not only to demonstrate the product’s features in a number of unconventional ways, but also to highlight ASIC’s commitment to innovating better products and supporting athletes everywhere.
ASICS Vice President of Marketing Erik Forsell said, “ASICS is committed to giving athletes the most technologically advanced footwear for exceptional performance. With our ‘Stop at Never’ campaign, we are focused on revealing all of the incredible and awe-inspiring elements of our product.”
The “Stop at Never” website features a series of ten videos highlighting the incredible technology of ASICS footwear. The short reels are a “behind the curtain” look into the product testing the ASICS footwear endured throughout development, while simultaneously capturing the determination and grace of ASICS enthusiasts and athletes. Two of the most captivating videos include the “Jack Hammer Test,” where an ASICS GEL series GEL shoe absorbs the full impact from a construction-grade jackhammer, and “Feet For Hands,” which demonstrates the flexibility of ASICS Omniflex-Pursuit shoes as they serve as gloves for athletic training. The videos also demonstrate the unparalleled strength and determination of ASICS athletes, including sprinter Greg Nixon, world champion wrestler Jordan Burroughs, Olympic thrower Russ Winger, pole vaulter April Steiner-Bennet, Javelin thrower Kara Patterson, and decathlete Jake Arnold, as well as incredible technology of the ASICS GEL series shoes – the GEL-Kayano18, GEL-Neo33, GEL-Excel33, and others.
“Stop at Never” positions ASICS for multidimensional expansion into new athletic categories, with a more digitally focused campaign, built out social media elements, and an exciting round of on-the-ground executions. The “Stop at Never” website is now live, and will be supported through robust marketing efforts including extensive digital advertising on leading athletic and lifestyle sites, as well as promotion at the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials, U.S. Track & Field Olympic Trials, and Drake Relays and ASICS’ own growing social media community.
Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body,” is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded more than 60 years ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of running shoes, as well as, other athletic footwear, apparel and accessories.
The project essentially consists of 10 different videos that reside on the Stop at Never site and show how tough Asics sneakers can be. The site is beautifully designed, with a scroll-through functionality that lets you navigate through web videos of the experiments.
1 – Catapult Demo/How can a medieval weapon help us run faster?
2 – Feet for Hands Demo/What happens when an elastic-like shoe meets an iron-like will?
3 – Vertigo Test/Can a shoe help keep you stable even in dizzying conditions?
4 – Breathability Demo/What can we learn by turning a trail shoe into a bubble machine?
5 – Pasta Test/What’s the connection between drier feet and spaghetti?
6 – Sink or Sprint Test/Can a lightweight shoe help you float on water?
7 – Fountain Test/What happens when you combine 500lbs. of water pressure with an agility course?
8 – Jackhammer Test/What can a jackhammer teach us about running longer?
9 – Levitation Test/What happens when a sprinter decides to test the laws of gravity?
10 – Inverted Tennis Test/What happens when you combine a crane and a tennis player?
11 – Black Belt/What can a black belt teach us about running softer?
12 – Slo-Mo Vertical/What’s the connection between a grasshopper, frog and a ferocious volleyball spike?
13 – Limitless Runner/Can freer foot movement help free up your imagination?
14 – Urban Treadmill/What happens when you combine an urban obstacle course with hardcore soccer training?
15 – Lite-Show/What happens when you shed light on some of the best athletes in the world?
16 – Paint by Stencil/How can 12 gallons of paint and a colossal canvas help us illustrate the benefits of a lighter, faster shoe?
Advertising Agency: Vitro, San Diego/New York, USA
Creative Chairman: John Vitro
Chief Creative Officers: Jonas Hallberg, Liron Reznik
Creative Director: KT Thayer
Copywriter: Schuyler Vanden Bergh, Simone Nobili
Sr. Art Director: Cris Westrell
Art Directors: Kevin Lukens, Kevin Cimo, Dominic Al-Samarraie
Digital Production: Kokokaka
Video Production: 13 Keys
Year: 2012
15 Best Olympics Advertising for London 2012
Posted: July 26, 2012 Filed under: Beverages, Cliché, Coca-Cola, Event, Sportwear, Testimonial, TV/Film, UK, USA | Tags: 15 Best Olympics Advertising for London 2012, adidas, advertising, best job, British Airways, Coca-Cola, Find your greatness, London 2012, Mark Ronson, McDonald's, move to the beat, Nike, Olympic, omega, P&G, Powerade, samsung, start me up, UK, Visa, Wieden + Kennedy 7 Comments »1 – Procter & Gamble – Best Job
Arguably the most memorable Olympics 2012 ad, Procter & Gamble champions mums in this commercial titled ‘Best job’. The tear jerker, created by Wieden + Kennedy Portland, follows four child athletes on their path to the London Olympic Games, supported, cared for and encouraged by their mothers every step of the way.
2 – Nike – Find Your Greatness
Nike does it again. Now famous for its ambush marketing tactics around major global sporting events, the sports apparel giant launched ‘Find your greatness’ in 25 countries yesterday to coincide with the opening ceremony. Cleverly avoiding any mention of London 2012 and the Olympic rings, the ad features places across the world with ‘London’ in their names, along with local everyday athletes enjoying their sports. The ad was created by Nike’s longterm agency partner Wieden + Kennedy.
3 – Coca-Cola – Move to the Beat
Mother London, Mark Ronson and Coca-Cola traveled the world to create a new dance track using the sounds of sport from 5 Olympic hopefuls.
4 – Omega – Star Me Up
A remix of The Rolling Stones’ ‘Start me up’ sets the pace for this commercial with the same title for Omega, the official timekeeper of the Olympics 2012. The ad lingers on the moments right before the start of a race or event, the tension felt by the athletes as they hone their focus for the task ahead.
5 – McDonald’s – Rivals
The Olympic spirit lives within us all. And when gold medals don’t provide enough motivation for greatness, McDonald’s is proud to serve the Happy Meals, Big Macs, and Fries that put everyone in the mood for a little competition.
6 – British Airways – London Calling
British Airways has launched its Olympic advert as anticipation builds ahead of the Games. It features one of BA’s jets strolling through London and showcasing landmarks such as Trafalgar Square and the Palace of Westminster, before taking in the Olympic Stadium in Stratford. Best of all though, it is set to the soundtrack of The Clash’s London Calling
7 – Adidas – What will you take?
Among others, Olympic Games sponsor Adidas created ‘What will you take?’ in support of Team Great Britian in partnership with agency Sid Lee. The colourful advert touches on all aspects of being an Olympian, both good and bad, as it challenges the athletes to take the stage and embrace this fleeting, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
8 – Icy Dew – Sixty Percent
Taking a break from the blood, sweat and tears approach, Coca-Cola bottled water brand Icy Dew created this amusing ’60 per cent water’ TVC in partnership with BBH Shanghai ahead of the Games. While this one might not stir the Olympian in you, it will certainly make you chuckle.
9 – Powerade – Power Through
Another Wieden + Kennedy addition, Powerade‘s ‘Power through’ Olympics advert focuses on “the line between breaking point and breaking through”, the extra effort that makes the difference between those athletes that go home with a medal and those that return disappointed. More muscles, more tension and another emotionally charged voice-over, the real stuff of Olympics advertising.
10 – Samsung – Are You Ready?
Cheil Worldwide launched this ‘Are you ready?’ ad for Olympic sponsor Samsung in support of its Galaxy S3 model across 20 countries this week. Olympics ambassador David Beckham signals the start of the event by kicking a ball against a gong in an impressive long-range shot.
11 – Visa- The Difference
Worldwide sponsor Visa has been putting its name to the Olympic Games for 25 years. This ad, titled ‘The difference’, was created by TBWA Chiat Day Los Angeles and narrated by Hollywood legend Morgan Freeman. This is just one in a series of Sepia-coloured ads marking Visa’s quarter century partnership with the Games this year.
12 – National Lottery Funded Athletes - Jenny Meadow Mother’s Story
Inspired by the story of 800 metres runner Jenny Meadows’ mother, our newest TV advert looks at how National Lottery funding helps British athletes achieve their dreams. Extended version. Thanks to TNL players we’re helping over 1,200 British athletes fulfil their dreams at London 2012 and beyond. No-one has contributed more to our athletes than our players.
13 – EDF - Powering The Games
EDF is an official partner of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, supplying the Olympic Park with low carbon electricity for a sustainable Olympics to remember.
14 – GlaxoSmithKline - Marlon Devonish
Touching on the ugly side of sport, GlaxoSmithKline features English sprinter Marlon Devonish to promote its provision of anti-doping laboratory services at the Games. Created by TBWA London, the advert takes the viewer inside the athlete’s body to experience the tension and exhilaration as he prepares to run the race of a lifetime.
15 – BP - Fuelling The Future
BP is proud to be the Official Oil and Gas Partner for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as a Premier Partner of the Cultural Olympiad.
Hollywood sign in advertising
Posted: February 22, 2012 Filed under: Car, Cliché, Illustration, Press/Outdoor, Sportwear, Testimonial | Tags: Absolut, Google, Hollywood, hollywood landscape, hollywood sign, Mini, Movie, Outdoor, planet hollywood, Playstation, Press 1 Comment »Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies is a movie channel that only shows movies from the golden age of movie making: The Classics.
TCM dedicated the month of November to the “History of Hollywood: Moguls and Movie Stars”. So they paid tribute to all its legends by creating one image of them working together where they build the iconic Hollywood sign.
Google Earth
Subaru
All Star Shoes
Dormimundo Mattresses
Fiat Dealers
Kmart
BCP Credit Card
Planet Hollywood
MINI Young Directors Project
Headline: In the cinema nobody is born big.
Playstation
Absolut
Creatives in Love (Valentine’s Day in advertising)
Posted: February 13, 2012 Filed under: Alcoholic Drinks, Axe, Beverages, Car, Cliché, Illustration, Press/Outdoor, Sportwear, Testimonial | Tags: Absolut, axe, BMW, creatives in love, Diamonds, february 14, Happy Valentine's day, Heineken, I love you, Kamasutra, Levi's, McDonald’s, New Beatle, Nissan, Puma, sexy, Tide, toyota, Valentine's Day in advertising, Valentines Day, Volkswagen, Wonderbra 5 Comments »1 – Axe Deodorant
2 – Dom Francisco Reastaurant
3 – Tide
4 – Volkswagen New Beatle
5 – Volkswagen
6 – Wonderbra
7 – McDonalds
8 – Kolner Zoo
9 – Pasta Adria
10 – Heineken
11 – Miller Beer
12 – Yemeksepeti.com (food delivery)
13 – Straps Lingerie Store
14 – British Airways
15 – Tampax
16 – Puma
17 – NW Nutrient Water
18 – Sexy Avenue.com
19 – Levi’s
20 – New Scientist
21 – Nissan Micra
22 – Playstation
23 – After Eden Lingerie
24 – Camper
25 – Predector (Pregnant Test)
26 – Is Kultur Bookstores
27 – Renault
28 – Parmalat Yogurbelt 0% fat
29 – Toyota
30 – Swatch
31 – SpotG Sexy Shop
32 – Canal+
33 – BMW Motorrad
34 – HOG Singapore Valentine Ride
35 – Brave Heart Fund – Children Heart Center
36 – Brasil Telecom
37 – Valentine’s and Coronary Patient Day
38 – Kiss Radio 102.1 fm
39 – Barrashopping – Shopping Mall
40 – DeBeers
41 – DIM Underwear
42 – Chevrolet
43 – Sedal Shampoo
44 – Bavaria Beer
45 – Nescafè
46 – Motorola
47 – Ducati
48 – Alfa Romeo
49 – Nakshatra Diamond
50 – Absolut Vodka
51 – Oreo
52 – Conrad Treasury Casinò
53 – McCann Helthcare
54 – Orkoss Restaurant
55 – La Benedicta Restaurant
56 – Wilkinson
57 – Seat
58 – Durex
59 – Wurst
60 – Avon
61 – Wellington Zoo
Adidas – Runners. Yeah, We’re Different (The most truthful ad campaigns)
Posted: January 11, 2012 Filed under: Case History, Legendary, Press/Outdoor, Sportwear, Testimonial, USA | Tags: adidas, Case History, Eugene Richards, Harry Cocciolo, Leagas Delaney, Press, runners, Runners. Yeah, Sean Ehringer, Sports Illustrated, supernova, USA, We’re Different, William Howard 12 Comments »
German sporting-goods company adidas-Salomon AG returned from near death in the mid-1990s with a new focus and global strategy. No longer content to allow competitors, especially the seemingly invincible Nike, to dominate the sporting-goods category, adidas launched a full-scale offensive designed to increase awareness of the brand, enhance its image, and elevate sales. The company moved production facilities to Asia to cut manufacturing costs, formed high-visibility alliances with sports organizations and athletes (including a sponsorship of the New York Yankees baseball team beginning in 1997), purchased the French company Salomon SA (a manufacturer of golf, ski, and bike equipment) in 1997, and pumped additional funds into its modest marketing budget. Hoping to increase the sales of its running accessories in the United States, adidas America, Inc., the U.S. headquarters for adidas, released a provocative campaign titled ‘‘Runners. Yeah, We’re Different.’’
The San Francisco office of advertising agency Leagas Delaney released the branding campaign with an estimated $1 million. To prove that the company understood the sport of running, the ‘‘Runners. Yeah, We’re Different’’ campaign, which began in 1998, targeted the serious runner, a relatively small and anonymous audience. With full-page and two-page ads in specialty magazines such as Runner’s World and Running Times and with some executions in the general-interest Sports Illustrated, the series of print ads celebrated the rather unusual but relatively common habits of dedicated runners, such as smearing Vaseline on the inner thighs and under the arms to prevent chafing. Sean Ehringer, Leagas Delaney’s creative director, explained, ‘‘[adidas] wanted to do a brand focus campaign that gave them some running credentials, and the way we decided to do that was to let runners know that we understand them . . . Runners have their own kind of weird way of doing things, so there’s a lot of things to talk about there.’’ The campaign ended in 2000.
According to the ad-industry publication Campaign, ‘‘Runners. Yeah, We’re Different’’ was the third most awarded series of print ads in the world for 2000. It helped Adidas’s brand awareness in the United States reach record highs and was eventually expanded globally.
For the ‘‘Runners. Yeah, We’re Different’’ campaign, Adidas narrowed its audience to pinpoint the serious runner, a group frequently overlooked by the sports media despite the popularity of running. The lack of hype surrounding running could perhaps be attributed to the individuality and solitude of the sport. As Leagas Delaney’s Ehringer remarked, ‘‘Most people who run run silently on their own for their own reasons, and nobody even knows they exist.’’ Ehringer also emphasized the importance of running and said, ‘‘It is very much a unique and individual sport, but it’s a part of almost every athlete’s life at some point.’’ To lure runners, an extremely dedicated lot, Adidas adopted an honest and direct approach. Ryan Erickson, a marketing executive at adidas’s rival Reebok International Ltd., explained the importance of credibility when advertising to runners. Erickson said in Footwear News, ‘‘Runners sniff out fake stuff in a heartbeat.’’
The strategy
In planning the ‘‘Runners. Yeah, We’re Different’’ branding campaign, Adidas and Leagas Delaney felt that it was important to speak directly to the runner. Ehringer told Joan Voight of Adweek, ‘‘I am so tired of this huge trend where ads keep telling you that you are not adequate in some way. ‘Be that’ or ‘Do this.’ . . . What is wrong with celebrating the fun-ness of the brand? . . . Better to have a conversation with people, not a conversation at people.’’ In keeping with this belief, and to make the most of Adidas’s marketing dollars, Leagas Delaney created a series of colorful print ads that celebrated running with a direct and unique approach only runners would likely appreciate and understand. Ehringer explained, ‘‘The unusual thing about [the campaign] was we were really very literal about it. I think it was pretty courageous to do ads that were so honest about really talking to runners that a lot of people wouldn’t even know what you were talking about.’’ To add an extra element of interest and to further suggest Adidas’s bond with runners, many of the ads starred Adidas-sponsored runners, talented athletes with little face-recognition value.
One of the early ads was a two-page color spread featuring a male runner—an adidas-sponsored marathon runner—applying bandages to his nipples at a road race. His shirt, with pinned-on race number, was casually tucked into the waistband of his shorts as he completed the bandaging task. Skyscrapers and other runners appeared in the background. A heavyset woman in nonrunning attire, perhaps a spectator, observed the runner’s ritual with a slightly bewildered look, emphasizing how odd the act must appear to nonrunners. The only text in the ad was the Adidas logo in one corner and the tagline in another.
A second ad showed a walking and running path in a city. A male runner blew his nose in typical runner fashion—with a finger pressed against one nostril to allow the forceful emanation of mucus from the other—as a disgusted nonrunning female looked on. The ‘‘Runners. Yeah, We’re Different’’ slogan appeared in the middle of the ad, and the text at the bottom read, ‘‘You’ve never experienced a support shoe like this. The incredibly smooth ride of the Equipment Tyranny is something different too.’’ The $1 million campaign appeared in running-specific publications such as Runner’s World and Running Times and in the popular magazine Sports Illustrated.
Another ad showed two male runners racing a cable car up a steep San Francisco hill as cable car riders looked on. The Vaseline ad featured a male and a female runner getting ready for a race by applying Vaseline to various body parts that might otherwise get rubbed raw while running. The male runner was Peter Julian, who was a four-time all-American while at the University of Portland. Similar ads continued until the campaign ended in 2000. The ‘‘Runners. Yeah, We’re Different’’ campaign generated much interest and discussion among runners. The campaign ended in 2000, and some of the final ads were bolder than those from 1998.
One 1999 ad, for example, featured a full view of the backside of a naked male runner (two-time 10,000-meter Olympian and four-time 10,000-meter U.S. champion Todd Williams) who stood by the open trunk of his car to change out of his muddy running clothes. Another ad showed a female runner squatting by a tree next to a trail, her shorts pulled down. Although these ads were quite daring, the acts featured were not out of the ordinary for runners.
Adidas’s director of marketing communications, Karyn Thale, told Adweek that the company was pleased with the advertising efforts and said, ‘‘It is time to tell our story in the U.S., and the Leagas ads are doing a great job of [expressing] our brand’s young, fresh and hardworking image here.’’ Adidas continued to thrive and in 1998 held onto its number three ranking in the athletic-footwear industry with a 6 percent share, according to market research firm NPD Group, Inc. In comparison, Nike’s retail dollar share was 34 percent and Reebok’s 13 percent. Although overall spending on athletic shoes dropped 6 percent from the previous year, running shoes continued to lead the athletic-footwear category, acquiring 17.1 percent of retail sales. Adidas’s U.S. net sales jumped 68 percent to $1.59 billion, and the running category grew more than 50 percent from 1997. Adidas spokesperson John Fread told the Business Journal of Portland, ‘‘For us, [1998] was an outstanding year, another record.’’ Adidas was definitely back in the game, and it planned to stay there, pursuing its commitment to sports and athletes around the globe.
In the campaign’s final year adidas reached its highest brand awareness in company history. The adidas sales increase during the campaign shocked sporting-goods analysts because running shoes were previously considered a slow-growth category. The print ads collected more awards than print ads released by any other competitor in 2000, and adidas eventually expanded the campaign internationally.
Advertising Agency: Leagas Delaney, San Francisco, CA
Creative Director: Harry Cocciolo, Sean Ehringer
Art Director: David Ayriss, Peter Nicholson
Copywriter: Steve Morris, Scott Wild
Photographers: Eugene Richards, William Howard
Adidas – Impossible is Nothing: the beginning
Posted: July 12, 2011 Filed under: Cannes Lions, Case History, Sportwear, The Nederlands, TV/Film | Tags: Adidas commercial, Cannes Lions, Case History, David Beckham, famous morning runs in 1974, Haile Gebrselassie, Ian Thorpe, Impossible is nothing, Jesse Owens, Kim Collins, Laila Ali, Maurice Greene, Muhammad Ali, Nadia Comaneci, Nastia Liukin, Olympic, skateboard in wheelchair., Stacy Kohut, the beginning, The long Run, Tracy McGrady, TV/Film, Zinedine Zidane 3 Comments »Three-time female boxing champion Laila Ali gets in the ring with her father Muhammad Ali at the height of his own boxing career. Clever postproduction mixes new footage with original Muhammad Ali fights.
“The Long Run” features 7 of today’s top athletes (David Beckham, Tracy McGrady, Laila Ali, Haile Gebrselassie, Ian Thorpe, Zinedine Zidane, Maurice Greene) who join a young Mohammad Ali on one of his famous morning runs in 1974. Ingenious post-production seamlessly merges new footage with original film shot in Zaire.
Skateboarder Stacy Kohut lost the use of his legs after an accident but continues to ‘skateboard’ in his wheelchair.
The current world 100m champion Kim Collins encounters 1936 four time Olympic Gold medal winner Jesse Owens on the track. This ad is part of the “Impossible is Nothing Olympics” Campaign and has especially been made for the Olympics 2004.
The greatest runner of all time, Haile Gebrselassie takes on the seemingly impossible challenge of beating himself. This ad is part of the “Impossible is Nothing Olympics” Campaign and especially has been made for the Olympics 2004.
The 13 year old gymnast Nastia Liukin literally follows in the path of the legendary Nadia Comaneci, the first gymnast ever to score a perfect “10″. This ad is part of the “Impossible is Nothing Olympics” Campaign and has especially been made for the Olympics 2004.
OVERVIEW
Over the years adidas-Salomon AG has maintained an international reputation as a premier maker of sporting goods and athletic footwear. It has hired some of the sporting world’s top athletes as spokespersons for its products, and the company has also owned a sponsorship deal with the New York Yankees. Despite its high profile in the industry, however, the company remained the alsoran athletic footwear company in the United States, behind Nike, Reebok, and New Balance. In addition, in 2003 the company reported that its total sales in the United States had dropped 16 percent in the first nine months of that year. Further confounding adidas, which sponsored the 2004 Olympic Summer Games, was the loss of its sponsorship rights to the 2008 Olympics to its competitor Nike. To gain an edge over the competition and to reenergize its business in the United States, in 2004 adidas-Salomon AG introduced a $50 million brand-marketing campaign—the largest ever undertaken by the company—that included television, print, and Internet ads. Themed ‘‘Impossible Is Nothing,’’ the yearlong global campaign was created for adidas by 180/TBWA, a partnership between 180, an agency based in Amsterdam, and the San Francisco agency TBWA/Chiat/Day. It kicked off with television spots featuring digitally altered footage of boxing legend Muhammad Ali jogging with some of the top athletes of the 1990s and 2000s, such as soccer star David Beckham. Athletes featured in subsequent ads included Ali’s daughter Laila, also a boxer, NBA greats Tracy McGrady and Tim Duncan, and tennis champion Justine Henin-Hardenne. The campaign clearly resonated with consumers and earned praise and official recognition from the advertising industry. After it began, the company reported that U.S. sales were up 11 percent compared with the same period the previous year.
TARGET MARKET
The ‘‘Impossible Is Nothing’’ campaign was driven by adidas’s efforts to shift its marketing focus to reach its target audience, 12- to 24-year-old consumers involved in sports. Based on statistics showing that men between the ages of 18 and 34 spent more time online than watching television, adidas also shifted some of its marketing to the Internet. Tara Moss, Internet business developer for adidas America, explained during an interview with Advertising Age, ‘‘We were trying to reach that teen audience that is dedicated to sports. Their apparel and footwear is really necessary to them in their daily lives.’’
Whether the new campaign would actually appeal to its target audience was questioned by some. In an interview with the Oregonian, Paul Swangard, managing director of the Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon, said that adidas needed to make changes in its marketing to be competitive with such companies as Nike and Reebok, who were using highprofile athletes, including NBA stars LeBron James and Yao Ming, respectively, to promote their products. ‘‘The challenge here is whether young teenagers, who are really the hot market for shoes and apparel, resonate with [Muhammad] Ali,’’ he said. ‘‘Many of these kids may never have seen him compete in their lifetime.’’
MARKETING STRATEGY
The adidas ‘‘Impossible Is Nothing’’ campaign, created by 180/TBWA, was designed first to reach American consumers and to improve the company’s market share in the United States. Adidas stressed that the campaign was aimed at a global market and that ads would eventually include athletic stars from a variety of sports and regions. ‘‘Impossible Is Nothing’’ was launched in February 2004 with television, print, and Internet advertising. ‘‘Wallscapes’’—huge ads on the sides of buildings—were installed in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Miami, and Portland. The first television spot featured American boxing icon Muhammad Ali as a young man setting off on one of his legendary long runs; the footage was digitally altered to show him running alongside members of a new generation of athletes, including soccer great David Beckham and NBA star Tracy McGrady, all dressed in adidas merchandise. Meanwhile, Ali’s daughter Hannah narrated, ‘‘Some people listen to themselves, rather than listen to what others say . . . they remind us that once you set out on a path, even though critics may doubt you, it’s okay to believe there is no ‘can’t,’ ‘won’t,’ or ‘impossible.’ They remind us it’s okay to believe impossible is nothing.’’ Another TV ad employed digital effects to depict a young Muhammad Ali sparring with his daughter Laila. In a voice-over Laila dismissed the idea that women should not box, saying, ‘‘Impossible isn’t a fact; it’s an opinion.’’
In addition to print ads and TV spots, the campaign, described by the company as a ‘‘fully integrated communication campaign,’’ also included ads and promotions on the adidas website as part of an effort to reach consumers, especially teens, all over the world. For a limited time the ‘‘Laila’’ TV spot was made available on the Yahoo!, MSN, and ESPN home pages. The online aspect of the campaign also featured 20 elite athletes, each telling his or her personal ‘‘Impossible Is Nothing’’ story. Consumers who logged onto the site were encouraged to share their own stories of overcoming the impossible to succeed. The best stories were awarded prizes. Additional television commercials showed past and present Olympic stars interacting with each other. One ad had sprinter Kim Collins on the track encountering the 1936 gold-medal-winner JesseOwens. Another depicted gymnast Nastia Liukin retracing the moves of the legendary Nadia Comaneci, who in 1976 became the first gymnast to complete a perfect-10 Olympic performance. The spot starringHaile Gebrselassie, known as one of the greatest runners of all time, was digitally altered to feature him running a 10,000-meter race in the Long Beach Memorial Stadium against nine competitors: all himself.
OUTCOME
As the ‘‘Impossible Is Nothing’’ campaign advanced, it became evident that it was resonating with consumers, and it earned accolades within the marketing arena. The campaign received a Silver EFFIE Award and won a Gold Lion Award at the International Advertising Festival in Cannes, France, and adidas was named the 2004 Marketer of the Year by Footwear News. Ad critics praised the campaign as well. Speaking specifically of the Boxing legend Muhammad Ali ® and daughter, Laila at the unveiling of a billboard featuring their image as part of the launch of Adidas’ campaign ‘‘Impossible is Nothing.’’ ª JEFF CHRISTENSEN/REUTERS/CORBIS. Commercials created for the U.S. market, Barbara Lippert of Adweek said that the campaign had been ‘‘incredibly successful.’’ She continued, ‘‘Those ads really capture the viewer’s imagination. They are beautifully executed and organic, effectively leveraging the brand’s image. Adidas has made a lot of noise. To come that far, that quickly, is just incredible.’’
The Internet component of the campaign was also successful in reaching the target audience. According to Moss, there was a 125 percent increase in the use of the search term ‘‘adidas’’ on the Yahoo! home page the day the ad featuring Ali and Laila appeared online. The highest number of search requests was from young men aged 13 to 17. Despite the campaign’s success, the NPD Group, an international market-research organization, listed adidas as the number four athletic-footwear brand in the United States—behind Nike, Reebok, and New Balance—the same position it had held in 2003. But based on dollar sales adidas made advances in 2004. According to the company, sales in 2004 were 11 percent higher than in 2003, pushing adidas closer to its proposed goal of doubling its 10 percent U.S. market share and closing the gap between itself and the top company, Nike.
Advertising Agency: 180 Amsterdam
Executive Creative Director: Ren Klyce
Creative Director: Peter McHugh/Lee Clow
Copywriter: Richard Bullock
Art Director: Dean Maryon
Production Company: Park Picture, New York
Director: Lance Accord
