When it comes to sports brand icons and their TV commercials, more often than not, I’m impressed by Nike, perplexed by Gatorade, and fascinated by Adidas.
While Nike continues to blast down the road of consistently strategic and surprising work, and Gatorade rambles along a twisty turny highway in search of the Holy Grail of millenial connection, Adidas keeps crossing the street and trying different routes.
They tell the story of Adi Dassler, the founder of Adidas, and the true origins of the company, to stake a claim as an authentic original. And they do it via a 3 minute film. In claymation.
And they make a House Party spot with David Beckham, Missy Elliott, and other funky friends, to celebrate 60 years of Adidas originals.
Adidas does a lot of really interesting, entertaining work. I usually like it quite a bit. Case in point: Two new shoe ads featuring Derrick Rose (he of the phantom SAT test)…
…and Dwight Howard (he of the perhaps-overthrowing King James tonight)…
They look and sound different, which is good (voiced by Chali 2na from Jurassic 5). And they do a pretty clever thing: They talk about the power and efficacy of the clothes and shoes in the context of the power and efficacy of the athlete. I thought this was a smart way to surround the info they so desperately want to convey.
So in terms of breaking through the insanely crowded communications clutter, I’d say they’re successful.
But they’re not as strong as the new Nike work.
For me, the Adidas work doesn’t resonate as much as the new Nike puppets with Kobe and LeBron, for a simple reason: Even the most sports-astute marketers often forget how great it is to just watch amazing athletes do amazing things. It's why I love this spot so much.
You get humor, you get personality, and you get authenticity. While Adidas has cool technique, Nike 180’s that and goes anti-cool; you can’t get much more low tech than felt puppets.
I’m not saying the Adidas work isn’t good. It’s pretty darn cool. It just doesn’t feel as spot-on authentic as the Nike work. Am I wrong? Am I too Old School? Am I on the Nike payroll?
Maybe, probably, and definitely not. But you tell me.
Showing posts with label adidas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label adidas. Show all posts
Friday, May 29, 2009
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Imitation is the sincerest form of copying
Last year’s Adidas House Party film turned a lot of heads, including those of us at Sportscentric. We thought it was pretty smart. And very cool. So did lots of lots of hipsters.
The folks at Sky One in London did as well. So much so that they almost frame-by-frame (respectfuly) ripped it off. The original:
The homage:
You can also go to Adidas Originals’ page on Facebook and check out the comparisons. It’s a nice simple page and 1.5 million fans agree (PS, about 150,000 more fans than Nike).
It makes sense that one of the most original shows in the history of television, which got that way by hilariously lampooning just about every film, music and tv genre known to man, would faithfully copy an instantly classic film that touts originality. There’s a hornets nest of logic there, but it all makes sense because the Simpsons is at the heart of it.
And the biggest beneficiary is Adidas, whose coolness level gets a boost without spending a dime.
That is, until Nike makes “Bart Knows.”
The folks at Sky One in London did as well. So much so that they almost frame-by-frame (respectfuly) ripped it off. The original:
The homage:
You can also go to Adidas Originals’ page on Facebook and check out the comparisons. It’s a nice simple page and 1.5 million fans agree (PS, about 150,000 more fans than Nike).
It makes sense that one of the most original shows in the history of television, which got that way by hilariously lampooning just about every film, music and tv genre known to man, would faithfully copy an instantly classic film that touts originality. There’s a hornets nest of logic there, but it all makes sense because the Simpsons is at the heart of it.
And the biggest beneficiary is Adidas, whose coolness level gets a boost without spending a dime.
That is, until Nike makes “Bart Knows.”
Friday, February 20, 2009
Adidas: Close, but not really
Adidas.tv is here.
In their decades long attempt to catch up to Nike, Adidas is launching an online TV channel. According to Advertising Age online, “The player is designed to encourage Hulu-style sharing and can be embedded in blogs and other social-networking sites via an Adidas-branded video-player module.”
For now, it just feels like they’re selling stuff.
Sure, they need to get it up and running, so they’ve loaded it up with some slick videos starring Dwight Howard and Gilbert Arenas and featuring Adidas products, with the hope that soon, others will join in and post their own videos.
But for now, it just feels like they’re selling stuff.
The secret to Nike’s success over the years was that they made marketing materials, especially TV commercials, that connected you to the Nike name vs any one certain thing.
They sold coolness. They got you to want to be on their team. That’s what sports is all about, right? Be on the best team. Or at least be a part of it. Who wouldn’t want to be with these guys?
They grew their brand by creating emotional bonds with consumers. And grow their brand, they did.
When I worked on Gatorade, we wanted the same ending, but we couldn’t do it the same way. Gatorade is a functional product that we not only needed to sell, but we also had to explain why you should use it. It’s obvious that you need shoes to play sports. You can’t go barefoot. But you could drink anything.
So even when we made almost purely emotional spots, we still needed to make sure the functional message came through. Hence, colored sweat, even if it’s just for one second. Like in this spot.
As much as we tried on Gatorade, we could never be like Nike, because we had a story to tell, and it made sense for us to tell that story, because people wanted to know why they should drink Gatorade over something else.
So while Gatorade had “Be Like Mike,” “I like Nike” was good enough for the guys out in Beaverton.
Adidas has never fully appreciated the fact that in their category, you’re not selling products, you’re selling a brand. They've made some very nice ads over the years, and clearly have forward thinking ideas. But they haven't been consistent enough.
They should stick to capturing people’s hearts, and letting their brains follow.
In their decades long attempt to catch up to Nike, Adidas is launching an online TV channel. According to Advertising Age online, “The player is designed to encourage Hulu-style sharing and can be embedded in blogs and other social-networking sites via an Adidas-branded video-player module.”
For now, it just feels like they’re selling stuff.
Sure, they need to get it up and running, so they’ve loaded it up with some slick videos starring Dwight Howard and Gilbert Arenas and featuring Adidas products, with the hope that soon, others will join in and post their own videos.
But for now, it just feels like they’re selling stuff.
The secret to Nike’s success over the years was that they made marketing materials, especially TV commercials, that connected you to the Nike name vs any one certain thing.
They sold coolness. They got you to want to be on their team. That’s what sports is all about, right? Be on the best team. Or at least be a part of it. Who wouldn’t want to be with these guys?
They grew their brand by creating emotional bonds with consumers. And grow their brand, they did.
When I worked on Gatorade, we wanted the same ending, but we couldn’t do it the same way. Gatorade is a functional product that we not only needed to sell, but we also had to explain why you should use it. It’s obvious that you need shoes to play sports. You can’t go barefoot. But you could drink anything.
So even when we made almost purely emotional spots, we still needed to make sure the functional message came through. Hence, colored sweat, even if it’s just for one second. Like in this spot.
As much as we tried on Gatorade, we could never be like Nike, because we had a story to tell, and it made sense for us to tell that story, because people wanted to know why they should drink Gatorade over something else.
So while Gatorade had “Be Like Mike,” “I like Nike” was good enough for the guys out in Beaverton.
Adidas has never fully appreciated the fact that in their category, you’re not selling products, you’re selling a brand. They've made some very nice ads over the years, and clearly have forward thinking ideas. But they haven't been consistent enough.
They should stick to capturing people’s hearts, and letting their brains follow.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Puma is a Lose-a
By Sportscentric contributor Ben Schuman-Stoler
Note: this is also posted at The Building JJ Collective.
Puma has a history of audacious projects that, for one reason or another, always end up falling short of expectations. Remember those ridiculous one-piece soccer kits they proposed? (Look right.)
Their most recent collaboration with fashion icon Alexander McQueen is another project that seems destined to fall woefully short of their goals.
Dig the "movie"--to call such a project an "ad" would be positively beneath them, ha--above.
Directed by the sooo-hot-right-now Saam Farhamand, this, erm, collection of moving pictures is supposed to impress us with Puma's artistic vision? Their sophisticated attempts at unifying athletic wear with cosmopolitan notions of style and dance?
I can't speak for others, but the lasting sentiment I get from the piece is not inspiration; it's more in the realm of the weird and off-putting. The music is cool, I'll give them that. I would love to partake in an epic, rainy duel with that music in the background. But that's about all this has going for it.
Two words keep coming to mind when I watch this: impersonal and farfetched. Like the "Until Then" ads (below), this piece is impossible to relate to and therefore unattached to my own experience. I am not impressed with the choppy images we get of what might well be impressive human movements.
This does not make we want to buy Puma gear.
We know that Puma is not Nike, or Adidas. They should be saluted for thinking outside the box in their attempts to gain entry into the sportswear circle of gods. And maybe the concept of McQueen's "ManCat" as a "creative reference" (whatever that means) will bring a cadre of fashionistas to Puma. But this piece is, literally, too narrow to grab and incorporate potential customers--it does more to turn them away.
Note: this is also posted at The Building JJ Collective.
Puma has a history of audacious projects that, for one reason or another, always end up falling short of expectations. Remember those ridiculous one-piece soccer kits they proposed? (Look right.)
Their most recent collaboration with fashion icon Alexander McQueen is another project that seems destined to fall woefully short of their goals.
Dig the "movie"--to call such a project an "ad" would be positively beneath them, ha--above.
Directed by the sooo-hot-right-now Saam Farhamand, this, erm, collection of moving pictures is supposed to impress us with Puma's artistic vision? Their sophisticated attempts at unifying athletic wear with cosmopolitan notions of style and dance?
I can't speak for others, but the lasting sentiment I get from the piece is not inspiration; it's more in the realm of the weird and off-putting. The music is cool, I'll give them that. I would love to partake in an epic, rainy duel with that music in the background. But that's about all this has going for it.
Two words keep coming to mind when I watch this: impersonal and farfetched. Like the "Until Then" ads (below), this piece is impossible to relate to and therefore unattached to my own experience. I am not impressed with the choppy images we get of what might well be impressive human movements.
This does not make we want to buy Puma gear.
We know that Puma is not Nike, or Adidas. They should be saluted for thinking outside the box in their attempts to gain entry into the sportswear circle of gods. And maybe the concept of McQueen's "ManCat" as a "creative reference" (whatever that means) will bring a cadre of fashionistas to Puma. But this piece is, literally, too narrow to grab and incorporate potential customers--it does more to turn them away.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Use what you got
Nike has the swoosh, Gatorade has colored sweat. Under Armor has its signature logo, Adidas has the three stripes, and Reebok has…um…that thing that looks like an airplane that’s been stabbed by a javelin.
Proprietary icons help give brands meaning and reasons for consumers to interact with them. Where you see the swoosh, you think sports authenticity; when you see colored sweat, you think rehydration. When you see the three stripes, you think…what? I’m not sure.
Adidas is such a perplexing brand. Their Impossible is Nothing campaign is a wonderfully powerful body of work, from its website to its TV and print (many many too numerous to mention, but here's a classic) that screams We Know Sports and We Know Athletes. But much of their other work is all over the place. Not in a bad way, just in an inconsistent way.
Here’s a good example.
Cool spot to celebrate 60 years of Adidas originals. Nice shoes. Star-studded, fun to watch. New school meets old school, all awash with the three stripes. If nothing else, it makes you feel good about the brand. And definitely generating lots of chatter and discussion, around the world.
So sports authenticity aside, good for Adidas, taking advantage of what they own. It’s a powerful tool. Look at President-elect Obama (Hope). And the Cubs (the Curse).
Sometimes, it helps. Sometimes, not so much.
Proprietary icons help give brands meaning and reasons for consumers to interact with them. Where you see the swoosh, you think sports authenticity; when you see colored sweat, you think rehydration. When you see the three stripes, you think…what? I’m not sure.
Adidas is such a perplexing brand. Their Impossible is Nothing campaign is a wonderfully powerful body of work, from its website to its TV and print (many many too numerous to mention, but here's a classic) that screams We Know Sports and We Know Athletes. But much of their other work is all over the place. Not in a bad way, just in an inconsistent way.
Here’s a good example.
Cool spot to celebrate 60 years of Adidas originals. Nice shoes. Star-studded, fun to watch. New school meets old school, all awash with the three stripes. If nothing else, it makes you feel good about the brand. And definitely generating lots of chatter and discussion, around the world.
So sports authenticity aside, good for Adidas, taking advantage of what they own. It’s a powerful tool. Look at President-elect Obama (Hope). And the Cubs (the Curse).
Sometimes, it helps. Sometimes, not so much.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Sneaker wars jump to a new level
What makes you better at what you do? How do you best get up for a challenge?
Do you follow the Bobby Knight bejeezus-scaring school of motivational theory? WARNING: THIS IS EXTREMELY EXTREMELY EXPLETIVE LADEN.
Or are you a joyful follower of the Dick Vermeil school, sponsored by Kleenex®, (where your coach is your friend, mentor, and hugbuddy all wrapped into one)? Either way, there’ll be tears.
Maybe it’s simply good enough to look across the battlefield and stare into the eyes of a fierce opponent.
If you believe that stiffer competition makes you do better work, then there’s good news for Nike, Adidas and Reebok.
Puma has hooked up with Droga 5.
Given their history for creating ideas that make people notice, there’s no doubt they’ll do the same for Puma. It's generating much discussion and healthy debate. Big question is, what kind of a brand Puma will be?
They do sports ads now.
Nothing to write home about. Not even done all that well. Although the shoes seem pretty damn cool.
They also have seemingly endless styles of cool looking shoes in wonderfully crazy colors and designs.
So what do they focus on? Sports? Fashion? Both? Youngsters? Hipsters? Chicks? Dudes? US? Europe? Asia?
My bet is, all of the above. Can’t wait to see it.
Do you follow the Bobby Knight bejeezus-scaring school of motivational theory? WARNING: THIS IS EXTREMELY EXTREMELY EXPLETIVE LADEN.
Or are you a joyful follower of the Dick Vermeil school, sponsored by Kleenex®, (where your coach is your friend, mentor, and hugbuddy all wrapped into one)? Either way, there’ll be tears.
Maybe it’s simply good enough to look across the battlefield and stare into the eyes of a fierce opponent.
If you believe that stiffer competition makes you do better work, then there’s good news for Nike, Adidas and Reebok.
Puma has hooked up with Droga 5.
Given their history for creating ideas that make people notice, there’s no doubt they’ll do the same for Puma. It's generating much discussion and healthy debate. Big question is, what kind of a brand Puma will be?
They do sports ads now.
Nothing to write home about. Not even done all that well. Although the shoes seem pretty damn cool.
They also have seemingly endless styles of cool looking shoes in wonderfully crazy colors and designs.
So what do they focus on? Sports? Fashion? Both? Youngsters? Hipsters? Chicks? Dudes? US? Europe? Asia?
My bet is, all of the above. Can’t wait to see it.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Hey Nike: Adidas is still on your tail
As far as I know, there’s no Mr. Nike. No one person in Beaverton, OR who’s given his heart and soul and name to a company, who thought up designs for his products and sketched possibilities and wrote entries in his journal that started with “The parcel of aviation gasoline and albatross feathers arrived today…I’m not certain of whether the winged chariot will fly, but then again, if I knew all the possibilities, there would be no point in trying.”
The guy who wrote that, according to a campaign from Lifelounge in Melbourne, was Adi Dassler, the man who started (with his brother Rudolf) the Adidas company.
“Adidas” has become a retronym for “All Day I Dream About Sports,” and this web campaign combines that retronym with Adi’s passion for design to showcase all kinds of crazy and wonderful possibilities in the world of athletic (ish) footwear.
Nike has kicked serious ass in the world of sports for what seems like forever, but Adidas has been nipping at their heels for years with really smart, fresh tactics like this website, including this extremely cool animated 3:00 ad featuring Adi’s story.
Adidas has something powerful with Mr. Dassler. They’d be wise to keep using him.
The guy who wrote that, according to a campaign from Lifelounge in Melbourne, was Adi Dassler, the man who started (with his brother Rudolf) the Adidas company.
“Adidas” has become a retronym for “All Day I Dream About Sports,” and this web campaign combines that retronym with Adi’s passion for design to showcase all kinds of crazy and wonderful possibilities in the world of athletic (ish) footwear.
Nike has kicked serious ass in the world of sports for what seems like forever, but Adidas has been nipping at their heels for years with really smart, fresh tactics like this website, including this extremely cool animated 3:00 ad featuring Adi’s story.
Adidas has something powerful with Mr. Dassler. They’d be wise to keep using him.
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