Grassroots campaign causes PR nightmare for Adidas

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Polish Facebookers have become a PR nightmare for the sportswear firm Adidas with a boycott campaign called 'adisucks,' prompted by a failed guerilla ad campaign.

Over the weekend, the social networking site erupted with angry graffiti artists, hip hop artists and other who became indignant - and active - when they noticed that adidas was painting over a kilometer and a half long wall next to the Sluzew Horse Race Tracks in Warsaw - a legendary graffiti wall became a semi-legal cement canvas in 1993 for anyone with a spray can.


Click here to learn more.(via Polish FM)


source: http://www.thenews.pl/radio/news/artykul152418_grassroots-campaign-causes-pr-nightmare-for-adidas.html

Nike’s Grand Slam ad embarrasses England

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The English Rugby Football Union has had insult added to injury after their crushing Six Nations loss to Ireland on March 19th. Not only did they lose the Grand Slam title after Ireland trounced them 24-8, but a Nike ad prematurely celebrating their win was leaked onto Youtube not long after the match, causing further humiliation for the already ego-bruised team.

The ad, which shows several English players including Chris Ashton, Toby Flood and Ben Foden posturing in slow motion backed by the roar of an unseen crowd, finishes with an image of the English rose growing from a “6” and the incorrect statement: “Onwards. Grand Slam Champions 2011.”


Not long after the ad appeared online, officials from Nike’s European headquarters in London acknowledged their mistake in attaching the video file to an internal email which previewed the company’s planned marketing campaign if the team they sponsor had beaten the Irish. They said in a statement “…pre-game optimism was misplaced, and we won’t be sending any internal emails like that in the future.”


A range of merchandise and ads including billboards also had to be cast aside after the English team’s implosion in Dublin. In a statement, the English Rugby Football Union announced that filming had been completed early for commercial reasons and had nothing to do with its estimation of the Irish team as opposition.


They said: “It is disappointing that details of Nike’s internal planning has got into the public domain. In no way did the RFU or the England team underestimate the challenge that the Ireland team would pose. We were well beaten by a team who played better and we have the utmost respected for Declan Kidney and the Irish players.”


source:http://www.irishemigrant.com/ie/go.asp?p=story&storyID=8671

Adidas joins Corona as B430 sponsor

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Multi Channel Network today announced adidas and Corona as integrated sponsors of the third season of Channel V’s highly popular globe-trotting local production, B430.  Adidas is a first-time sponsor of the program, and Corona has been a sponsor the program across all three seasons.

Back on Channel V from 31 March at 5:00pm, the eight-episode series goes around the world and across Australia showcasing some of the best working holiday destinations on the planet and uncovering new experiences young people should try before they turn 30.


MCN’s Strategic Integration Manager, Elizabeth Minogue said B430 is the only Australian television show dedicated to youth life experiences, and both sponsors are aiming their campaigns at the under 30’s demographic.
The adidas partnership includes inshow integration, content created using the talent from B430, an online activation with integration into episode photo galleries and the B430 microsite, weekly consumer promotion with on air competition spots as well as on-air TVCs and Billboards.


Corona’s has been integrated in to B430 through a social media activation to find Channel [V]’s ‘global animals’ that blog on each episode while it is filmed with the [V]J’s overseas. This has been run through Channel [V]’s Facebook page with on-air and online drivers and competition elements. This activation was created exclusively for Corona to drive consumer conversations. Corona’s integration continues into each episode of B430 with product placement and consumption in every episode, microsite integration, integrated tune-in promo spots, billboards and exclusive talent hosted Corona content.


“B430 has proven to be hugely popular among Channel [V] viewers as it resonates with their interests and aspirations,” said Elizabeth.  “Channel [V] have a profound understanding of their audience and this has been enhanced in recent years by Channel V’s multi platform interactivity – in particular its new website.
“The focus of B430 is a natural fit for adidas and Corona who are seasoned youth marketers.  Both brands have worked closely with MCN and Channel V to create an integrated campaign that really leverages the brand message across many different marketing levels,” she said.


Brett Elliot from Mediacom, Corona‟s media agency said: “Corona needed a program that properly reflected the brand’s personality and provided us with the right opportunities for integration. Corona has some very specific brand cues and fortunately a lot of these are shared with B430 – the spirit of adventure, having a good time with friends and the desire to escape! B430 was the perfect program for Corona to integrate with and has helped Corona grow its commitment with opinion leaders and position in the Australian market.”


Simon Millar, Australia Marketing Director, adidas, said: “Our partnership with B430 coincides with the launch of our latest global brand campaign. The “all adidas‟ campaign expresses the unique breadth and depth of the adidas brand. It reflects how our consumers and our brand are connected through their desire to put all our heart into the game, no matter the game. Our partnership with B430 is another vehicle for our brand to bring this campaign to life and connect with the youth consumer through relevant program integration and messaging.”


B430 hosts, Danny Clayton, Jane Gazzo, Billy Russell and Kyle Linahan trek to eight new destinations to bring a complete guide to the best jobs in the world. From a boat deckhand in Hawaii, DJ in Miami and a ski season in Canada, to a surfing instructor in France, diving instructor in Malaysia and volunteer in Thailand.


source: http://mumbrella.com.au/adidas-joins-corona-as-b430-sponsor-43028

Adidas creates musical tap shoes for breakdancers

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Adidas has teamed up with French coder Didier Brun to build sneakers that allow dancers to make music by moving their feet.

The project was designed to promote the release of a new sneaker collection MEGA in France. Adidas wanted a discreet, wireless system that didn't need any cables and could work within a six to seven metre range from the speakers.


To create the system, called "the Megalizer", Brun used two force sensors for each shoe -- one in the heel and one in the toe -- along with a wireless transmitter (Xbee) in each shoe to capture the pressure applied to the sensors.  A USB dongle containing the XBee receiver chip connected to the computer received the signals from the Xbee emitter chips.


Brun developed two separate programs to operate the musical shoes -- one to process the receivers' inputs and an Adobe AIR application that interprets the signals, and chooses and plays the sounds. The system let the wearers control the sounds (volume, sensitivity of the shoe and the sound effect) that play when heels and toes are tapped on the ground, thanks to a simple interface (which is called "Minimal Components" and was created by Keith Peters).


One of the main challenges was how to analyse the signals from the different sensors. The aim was to assess when the heel or toe was hit, but the problem is that when a dancer stands or moves there can be balance shifts from one sensor to another without much movement (Imagine shifting your weight from your toes towards your heels while standing still). Brun solved this by creating an algorithm that evaluated only steep shifts in pressure over a short space of time.


Once the shoes were up and dancing, they were given to French hip-hop dancers Les Twins, who partnered with YakFilms, Bboy Lamine and Bboy Mounir to create a film where they make music using the Megalizer. You can see them in action in the video above.


Brun says on his site: "I did face loads of technical and hardware problems during the production and tests. Generating live music requires very low latency, and creating a shoe-wearable wireless system was a real challenge. The dancers that operated on the video clip did train a lot to succeed in synchronising to play the actual song."


source: http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2011-03/30/adidas-megalizer-breakdancing-tap-shoes

Woman-only store format to be trendsetter for adidas

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In Korea, adidas opens the first women’s specific retail store whose new concept and image aims to be a trendsetter for adidas retail worldwide. This new and exciting sport and style destination designed especially for women, stands for a personalized service of advice whilst the purchase of the functional and attractive designed adidas Women collections, making it a trend-setter of a new way of shopping. “The new store concept designed especially for our female client shows Korean consumers how much the brand cares and the importance of follow the market tendencies. The women’s business is growing day by day and adidas Korea is excited to open the first adidas women’s store with a totally new concept that will definitely be a trendsetter” states Zion Armstrong, Managing Director of adidas Korea. The store environment has been created specifically with women’s needs in mind with a visit turning into a personal and enjoyable experience, accomplished through an in-store design featuring clean lines, a soft colour palette and an uncompromising focus on detail. This unique women’s retail concept features an improving way of servicing the consumer. The in-stores staff features training and fitness experts, able to direct consumers in their fitness goal and give advice about the most appropriate footwear and apparel to wear for different sports disciplines as well as help with styling so consumers can take their own personal daily style to the gym. Another first for this women’s concept store is the creation of a training and fitness community with regular training workshops organised as well as frequent styling sessions, seasonal special offers and also exclusive product previews. Information on local workout classes and gym partners is also provided to consumers providing a holistic women’s fitness package. The in-store highlights are adidas women and adidas by Stella McCartney collections. The spring/summer 2011 Women’s collection introduces exciting concepts that come together with leading adidas technologies and the latest design innovations that cater to every workout need of the female athlete. Highlights for this season are the Women’s TechFit compression garments and the very feminine adilibria range. In the adidas by Stella McCartney collection, the pinnacle fusion of performance and style enters the spring/summer 2011 season with the introduction of Weekender, a new outdoor category for Korean consumers to look out for alongside other collection highlights such as Cycling, Running and the new seamless underwear line. This season’s collection also features new styles in Golf, Gym Yoga and Gym Studio and Tennis. source: http://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/apparel-news/newsdetails.aspx?news_id=96757