Adidas AG (stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German athletic apparel and footwear corporation headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, Germany. It is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe, and the second largest in the world, after Nike. It is the holding company for the Adidas Group, which consists 8.33% stake of the football club Bayern München, and Runtastic, an Austrian fitness technology company. Adidas’s revenue for 2018 was listed at €21.915 billion.
The company was started by Adolf Dassler in his mother’s house; he was joined by his elder brother Rudolf in 1924 under the name Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik (“Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory”). Dassler assisted in the development of spiked running shoes (spikes) for multiple athletic events. To enhance the quality of spiked athletic footwear, he transitioned from a previous model of heavy metal spikes to utilising canvas and rubber. Dassler persuaded U.S. sprinter Jesse Owens to use his handmade spikes at the 1936 Summer Olympics. In 1949, following a breakdown in the relationship between the brothers, Adolf created Adidas and Rudolf established Puma, which became Adidas’s business rival.
| Website | adidas-group.com adidas.com |
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The three stripes are Adidas’s identity mark, having been used on the company’s clothing and shoe designs as a marketing aid. The branding, which Adidas bought in 1952 from Finnish sports company Karhu Sports for the equivalent of €1,600 and two bottles of whiskey, became so successful that Dassler described Adidas as “The three stripes company”
Adidas History
We started in a washroom and conquered the world. And in-between, we have scored big and also, sometimes, struggled to reach our goals. We have done our best for the best. We have improved and grown. Looking ahead to the future, always remembering where we came from. This is our story.
WELCOME TO THE NEW WORLD – A NEW DIGITAL FOCUS
As the world changes, so do we. While a computer in your shoe seemed a bit weird in the ‘80s, it now is a professional training system: miCoachallows athletes to track, record and improve their performance in sports, including football, running, or basketball. It becomes a category of its own. On top, the company launches a new sub-brand: Adidas NEO targets the young generation with social tools such as a social mirror and the opportunity to, literally, shop at the window with the touch of a button. And the 2012 London Olympic Games become a happening on the Adidas social channels, bringing behind-the-scenes events, competitions, and athlete news to the young consumer.
We do not know what the future in sports will bring but it will not stop us from shaping it. We will keep pushing the envelope with continuous innovations. And more importantly: we will make sure that we give you the tools you need to be the best athlete possible. Just how Adi wanted it.
*Information from Forbes.com and Adidas-group.com
**Video published on YouTube by “TV Sports 24“
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