A MARKETING SUCCESS
Ten to fifteen years ago, when I was at primary school, all “adidas” shoes and clothes were fakes, bought at the local market.
When I started middle school I got my first pair of authentic adidas running shoes. For my ten-year-old self they were the coolest thing ever – comfortable, pretty and a source of great envy for my classmates. Back then, authentic adidas shoes were rare and we did not even know that other adidas products existed.
A couple of years later the adidas logo could be found everywhere – on the streets, in the shops, gyms and schools.
Why? What is the secret behind adidas’ success in Estonia?
The Adidas Group has never launched advertising campaigns targeted at only one country, so to explain the reason for their success in Estonia we have to take a look at their international marketing strategies.
Success of the brand relies heavily on how wise their promotions are.
In the promotions of their adidas performance line (a line designed to maintain their devotion to the athlete) the Adidas Group extensively uses sponsorship of sports events, teams and individual athletes.
They produce balls for UEFA Champions League matches and FIFA World Cup tournaments. Adidas, also, manufactures the kits for many football teams. The Estonian football team Levadia Tallinn’s kits are supplied by them.
Another important thing in successful marketing involves selecting the right target market and correctly identifying and satisfying its needs.
To reach other market segments, while retaining their credibility as a brand used by the athletes, adidas separated the brand into groups with different focus. As I mentioned before the adidas performance line is designed for athletes, their other group – the adidas Originals is a line of casual sports apparel.
Adidas’ goal is to make adidas Originals attractive to the lifestyle of the consumer