Have you ever wondered how Adidas Singapore became a thing? Well, here is the history of Adidas. Adidas also known as Adidas AG is a German multinational company founded in July 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik and ever since 18 August 1949 it is known as what everyone knows which is Adidas. The company’s headquarter is in Herzogenaurach, Germany, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. For example, custom polo shirts.
The Early Years (1900 – 1949)
Everything started in a small town called Bavaria in Germany. After starting out in his mother’s kitchen, Adi Dassler registered “Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik” in 1924 and began on with his mission of providing athletes with the best possible equipment. The gold medals in Amsterdam (1928, Lina Radke) and Berlin were the first awards and milestones. Not only that, it is the beginning of their history. It was the beginning of adidas’ customised polo tshirts domination!
Founding Father
August 18, 1949
- Adi Dassler started over at the age of 49
- Registered the ‘Adi Dassler adidas Sportshuhfabrik
- 47 employees in a small town of Herzogenaurach
- Registered a shoes which includes the registration of the famous Adidas 3-stripes
A miracle in bern (1954)
Who would have thought that studs embedded in lightweight soccer cleats would help make history? When the German national football team faced the undefeated Hungarians in the 1954 World Cup final, they won more than one title. Their incredible victory will be resounded around the world for decades to come. And this has made Adidas and its founder a household name on football fields around the world. That was not the only thing that happened that year, the revolutionary boots had gotten a lot of attention internationally!
From 1968-1978
Adidas has achieve this following
- The athletes trust
- The trefoil and the olympic idea
- Becoming a true multi-sports specialist
Having this said, Adi Dassler died on September 6, 1978. It was shortly before his 78th birthday. This is the man who single-handedly redefined the sporting goods industry and lifted the benchmark by a mile left behind a flourishing company. It is the end of one Dassler era becoming the start of another. Adi’s wife Käthe, with her son Horst, took over Adidas.
From 1984-1997
In this few years, Adidas has gone through a downfall and also and a raising which are;
- A computer for your feet
- The merge of arts and sports
- The end of the Dassler era
- Horst Dassle sudden death in 1989
- Käthe passing 3 years after
- Adi Dassler daughter sold shares in 1990 and exited company
- A sleeping giant’s new master
- Roberts Louis-Dreyfus became the new CEO and made the impossible job seem easy
- Innovation never sleeps
- A new team member
Early 2000s( 2000-2013)
- An innovative leader
- Herbert Hainer became the new CEO of Adidas, the company’s focus went even more to innovation. ClimaCool (2002), adizero(2004), and the F50 soccer cleats, which launched just in time for FIFA World Cup 2006 in Germany.
- New century, new divisions
- Impossible? Just a big word
- Adidas shows the biggest athletes, including David Beckhome and Haile Gebrselassie, facing their fears, defeats, and challenges head on only to prove that, ‘Impossible is Nothing’.
- What belongs together comes together
- Endless innovation
- Adidas introduces the Energy Boost running shoes which features a completely new cushioning material.
The current (2015-2021)
Creating the new (2015)
In March 2015, Adidas came up with a five-years strategic business plan called ‘creating the new’. This strategy and attitude that leads Adidas into the future. The company worked everyday to inspire and enable people to harness the power of sport in their lives.
With ‘ Creating the New’, brands are closer to the consumer than ever before. To achieve this, the plan is to just focused on these three strategic choices: Speed, Cities and open source
Speed: Become the first true sport company who are fast in satisfying consumer needs, fast in internal decision-making
Cities: Six key cities in which to grow share of mind, share of market and share of trend are identified: New York, Los Angeles, Shanghai, Tokyo, London, and Paris
Open source: Be the first sports company that invites athletes, consumers, and partners to be part of the brand
Leader with a digital version (2016)
15 years passed by, Herbert Hainer passed the CEO baton to Kasper Rorsted in October 216. Transitioning to Adidasafter leading the German consumer goods company Henkerl for eight years, the Dane is well received among employees, media and investors.
Focus on key competencies (2017)
With the divestiture of its hockey brand CCM and its golf brands TaylorMade, Adams Golf, and Ashworth the company further contributed to its strategy Creating the New and focused on its core competencies in footwear and apparel and its major brands adidas and Reebok.
Home sweet home (2019)
Adidas celebrated its opening of a new office building, finalizing the expansion of the company’s headquarters in Herzogenaurach, German. For the first time, all 5400 employees are located on one campus in an environment that fully embraces the company’s unique company and culture.
The globally applied workplace is fully integrated, offering activity-based working spaces with a focus on flexibility and communication. Instead of an assigned desk, employees can choose from a variety of different rooms and spaces depending on their needs, from casual encounters to formal meeting rooms and areas for individual focus.
Own the game (2021)
2021 marks the release of adidas’ next five-year strategic cycle. ‘Own the Game’ puts the consumer clearly at the center of everything, acknowledging the role they have in shaping industry trends: They strive to live active and healthy lives, they wish to blend sport and lifestyle, they are digital by default and sustainable by conviction. Own the Game will capture these consumer-driven opportunities and carve out new ones for their benefit.
The successful delivery of this strategy will enhance brand credibility, elevate consumer experience and push the boundaries of sustainability.
In the last few years of the adidas revolution, their apparel went through revolution too. One of the current examples is that Adidas has custom polo shirts and bags that you yourself could design it on your own. The print t-shirt in Singapore is located at Vivo City, #B1-05. Check it out yourself and it will be worth it!