Adidas has a large business relationship and collaboration with Israeli entities and organizations, but does not officially recognize Israel as a political entity. After several months of pressure by the Boycott, Divest, Sanctions (BDS) movement, Adidas ended its sponsorship of the Israel Football Association (IFA) in 2018. The company argued that they had no political interest in the decision as their contract had expired by nature. In its turn, Adidas has been accused of still sponsoring the Israeli economy and partnering with Israeli companies, including the Israeli-based Delta Galil. As the Israel-Palestine dispute is a very delicate matter, in 2024, Adidas dropped Palestinian-American model Bella Hadid as part of an advert campaign after the video came under extensive criticism by pro-Israel movements.
History of Adidas
Adidas Samba is the brand name of the sports shoe produced by the German multinational corporation Adidas. Adolf Dassler, founder of Adidas, invented it in 1949. It is the second most sold Adidas model, after the Stan Smith model, selling more than 35 million pairs across the world. There are numerous color schemes in which it has been manufactured. In 1949, the Samba was created to allow football players to practice on hard, frozen surfaces, which is why the gum sole has a suction feature. Its initial design included the gold trefoil on the foldable tongue in addition to the traditional three stripes. The trainer changed over the years to become the Samba ’85 and the Samba Millennium, which lacked the expanded tongue. Older models of the trainer, known as the Classic M, are still manufactured.
According to some reports, the Samba’s release near the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil and the nation’s connection to samba music and carnival culture served as the inspiration for the name. Adidas, however, claims that this was untrue and that the moniker was coined during German football games.
What is the identity of Adidas?
Adidas’s identification symbol consists of three stripes, which have been utilized as a marketing tool on the company’s apparel and footwear designs. The branding was so popular that Dassler referred to Adidas as “The three stripes company” when the company purchased it from Finnish sports company Karhu Sports in 1952 for the equivalent of €1,600 and two bottles of whiskey. Adidas’ primary goal is to achieve net zero by the end of 2050 by tracking its 1.2 billion euros in profits, weather forecasts, and full-year profit growth. Due to its classic, adaptable, and indoor soccer-inspired design, Adidas’ “Samba” shoe has become the company’s most popular model. After their relationship soured, the brothers separated in 1947 [18]. On August 18, 1949, Adolf formed a company from Adi Dassler called Adidas AG, while Rudolf formed a new company from Rudolf Dassler called Ruda, which eventually became Puma.
Two fictitious backronyms for the name “Adidas” have gained popularity due to urban myths: All Day I Dream About Sports[19] and All Day I Dream About Sex. Following the divorce, Adidas and Puma SE developed a severe and intense business rivalry. Due to disagreements over the matter, Herzogenaurach was dubbed “the town of bent necks”; people would look down to see what shoes visitors were wearing.
Recent success rate of Adidas
Adidas was reporting its highest-ever revenues by the end of 2012, and CEO Herbert Hainer was upbeat about the year. The corporate headquarters of Adidas is currently located in Herzogenaurach, Germany, along with numerous additional company locations across the globe, including London, Portland, Toronto, Tokyo, Australia, Taiwan, and Spain. Adidas released the first reservation mobile app in the footwear sector in January 2015. By utilizing geotargeting technology, the Adidas Confirmed app enables customers to access and reserve the brand’s limited edition footwear.
In March 2015, McDonald’s and Adidas released the 2015 McDonald’s All-American uniforms. The third year will use the same breathable, lightweight fabric of NBA jerseys, with which players will wear short-sleeved jerseys. In August 2015, Adidas bought the Runtastic fitness technology company and paid more than 240$ million. In May 2017, Ashworth was sold together with TaylorMade golf on a 425$ million deal to KPS Capital Partners. In February 2021, Adidas reacted to the criticisms of animal welfare groups and prohibited fur in their products.
In January 2023, Bjorn Gulden became CEO.
Criticism of Adidas
The sweatshops of Adidas, particularly in Indonesia, have been criticized. Between 2006 and 2007, Adidas replaced most of its suppliers who supported unions with subcontractors who had less labor rights records. Adidas finds it more difficult to guarantee that its labor standards are upheld when it subcontracts work to other vendors. Adidas’s policy prohibits retribution against employees who voice complaints and allows employees to participate in collective bargaining. However, several of Adidas’s suppliers have not adhered to these criteria in reality. In 2005, 33 workers were let go from the Panarub factory in Java after going on strike for higher wages.
In June 2020, Karen Parkin, the global head of human resources at Adidas, resigned voluntarily after a group of black employees complained about her inability to deal with racism and discrimination at work. The previous HR director had already stated that racism was just noise and that diversity among the staff was not adequately dealt with. She apologized and said she supported the company’s ongoing work toward racial justice in a statement following her resignation.
What are the famous products of Adidas?
Football uniforms and related gear have always been one of Adidas’ primary priorities. Adidas continues to play a significant role in the global supply of team uniforms for clubs and international association football teams. Adidas produces referee uniforms that are utilized by numerous nations and leagues worldwide, as well as in international play. The Copa Mundial molded boot, which was introduced in 1979 and is used for games on firm, dry fields, is one of the company’s major innovations in the field of athletic footwear. It is recognized as the all-time best-selling boot. World Cup, the soft-ground version, is still available for purchase.
Coaches like John Wooden of UCLA were among those who helped create Adidas’ Superstar and Pro Model shoes, which are referred to as “shelltoes” because of their styled hard rubber toe box. By the middle of the 1970s, Adidas and Converse were roughly equal in the basketball market, but in the early 1980s, both began to lag behind the newcomer Nike. Alongside Adidas’ stripe-sided polyester suits, the Adidas Superstar later gained a lot of popularity in the 1980s hip hop streetwear culture.
Following Adidas’ acquisition of Reebok, the 30-team National Basketball Association switched to Adidas as its uniform provider from 2006 to 2017. Following the 2016–17 season, Nike took Adidas’ place as the league’s official uniform supplier. Adidas presently produces a number of lifestyle and running shoes, such as the spring-blade trainers and the Energy Boost. The company has established a robust network of runners in major European cities, including the “Boost Energy League” in Paris. The third season debuted in 2016. Eleven teams from various Parisian districts compete in the Boost Energy League. In September 2016, Adidas unveiled two new NMD R1 colorways and one new NMD XR1 colorway.
In a nutshell, the Israeli company Delta Galil produces some of the products produced by Adidas, specifically its underwear, which is the subject of boycott calls. Maintaining business relations with Israeli firms is interpreted as aiding Israel’s economy.
