adidas is a portmanteau formed from its founder’s name - Adolf

Dassler. And there’s probably very few of us who haven’t worn an

Adidas.

There is no denying that the Adidas logo is effective. Almost

anyone who sees it can tell you it belongs to Adidas, and many
companies are willing to spend billions for that sort of recognition.
The Adidas logo probably works because it starts with a very
simple design.

No logo concept or imagery about the concept – Adolf Dassler

wanted something that would right away associate with his
company when athletes use his footwear in international athletic
competitions. While still keeping true to this three stripes pattern,
there’s been two major Adidas logos over the company’s history.
Adolf 'Adi' Dassler first started making shoes in 1924, registered
his company's name in 1949, and started using the three stripes to
identify its footwear in 1967. But it wasn't until 1971, when
the Trefoil logo was unveiled, that Adidas would have a logo that
was legendary. The original Trefoil Adidas logo until 1998, it is now
used on Adidas Originals.
The second, launched in 1997, was designed by the then Creative
Director, Peter Moore, and incorporated the three stripes into a
simple iconic mark. A little bit of symbolism was added to the mix,
with the new mark representing a mountain, as well as "...the
challenge to be faced, and the goals to be achieved."
The word mark that Adidas has used since 2005 goes back to the
simplicity of the three stripes and is said to represent quality and
leadership, and maintains flexibility for the future. Adidas is now
just one company in the Adidas Group, which also includes Reebok
and TaylorMade.

Three black stripes makes for a very striking design, and it can be
placed on almost any product. The fact that no Adidas logo
changes too much from the original design means that all of their
logos empower their brand without the risk of going unrecognized.
With a sizeable contribution from their logo, Adidas will probably
remain a sportswear powerhouse for years to come.

But The Trefoil remains the logo that inspires the stake holders
and the one that helped Adidas transcend the sporting arena and
permeate every corner of popular culture.
Adidas started out as a small independent sportswear company in Germany.
Today though, they are known all throughout the world with a presence in almost
every global market. Adidas manufactures many different types of equipment and
apparel including tennis rackets, referee uniforms, and even soccer balls. Adidas
is also a major manufacturer of running shoes. It is fair to say that Adidas
dominates the sportswear market like no other company before them.

One factor that has always worked in the favor of this company is the distinctive
look of their logo. Most people recognize the Adidas logo on sight, and this
memory certainly sticks with them when they go out to buy their own sports
equipment. Anyone who wants to build an empire out of branding should pay
attention to what Adidas accomplished with their unique but highly simplistic
design.
Logo #1: The Three Stripes
This logo does not have a specific look. The company simple placed three black
stripes on everything that they manufactured. Even this early in their history, the
company was known for this branding. The owner of the company at the time
liked to call his business “The three stripe company”. Even as new logos took the
place of the old ones, the company would remain loyal to the three stripes look.
Logo #2: The Trefoil

The trefoil was the second Adidas logo. The theme of three
stripes is still evident in the look, both in the leave that shoot out from the logo, and
the three stripes that cross it diagonally. This logo was chosen because the
company wanted a logo that represented the fact that their brand was a lot larger
and more diverse that it used to be while still keeping the classic Adidas look.
This logo is still used on some of their products, particularly their line of classic
products. Most of their high-performance products have moved on to a third and
final logo.

Logo #3: The Three Bars

This logo is the latest one that has been introduced, and
it represents some of the finest equipment that Adidas sells. This logo more than
the others is supposed to have a lot of meaning. The company wanted to keep
the three stripes that they were known for, but also add something to give the logo
some power.
This new logo is supposed to resemble a mountain, like it is challenging the
people who buy Adidas products to push themselves to their limits. This latest
logo appears on many pieces of sports equipment and the new logo is still
instantly and obviously “Adidas” to anyone who sees it.

Why Does the Adidas Logo Work?

There is no denying that the Adidas logo is effective. Almost anyone who sees it
can tell you it belongs to Adidas, and many companies are willing to spend
billions for that sort of recognition. The Adidas logo probably works because it
starts with a very simple design.
Three black stripes makes for a very striking design, and it can be placed on
almost any product. The fact that no Adidas logo changes too much from the
original design means that all of their logos empower their brand without the risk
of going unrecognized. With a sizeable contribution from their logo, Adidas will
probably remain a sportswear powerhouse for years to come.
History of Adidas and their Logo Design

Today, Adidas stands as one of the most popular footwear and apparel
companies in the world. Recently, they’ve even come to challenge the likes of
the footwear giant Nike, finding a way to attract new customers in a time
when many companies in the athletic wear industry are struggling. As with
any apparel company, Adidas’s clever marketing and eye-for-design have
played a monumental role in their success, and in this article we’ll take a look
at Adidas’s history, the history of the Adidas logo, and the role that their logo
has played in their marketing strategy.

Origins of Adidas

For many, the origins of Adidas may entail a bit of controversy – the
company’s founder Adolf Dassler fought on the side of the Germans in WWI
and joined the Nazi party in WWII. After returning from fighting in WWI,
though, Dassler began working to produce sports shoes in his mother’s
kitchen. At first he was joined by his younger brother Rudolf, but after a
falling out, Rudolf left the company and founded a company that would later
be one of Adidas’s bitter rivals – Puma.

Adidas – then Dassler Shoes – got its first big break when Adolf drove to the
1936 Summer Olympics with a suitcase full of cleats and convinced sprinter
Jesse Owens to wear them in the competition. Jesse Owens became the first
African-American to receive a sponsorship in the Olympics, and the popularity
of Dassler Shoes skyrocketed.

In 1947, Adolf changed the name of his company to Adidas after his
nickname “Adi”. He retained control of the company until 1987 when he sold
it to a French investor named Bernard Tapie. Tapie ramped up production of
Adidas shoes, but unable to pay the interest on the loan he used to buy the
company, Tapie sold Adidas to Robert Louis -Dreyfus.
Adidas changed hands a few more times in the years that followed, slowly
growing more and more successful. Today, Adidas supplies apparel for the
NBA, NFL, and others, and in 2016 the company saw €19.3 billion in sales.
Along the way, Adidas has leveraged clever marketing and the popularity of
their designs to reach such success, and at the forefront of those designs is
the recognizable Adidas logo – a logo they purchased for €1,600 and two
bottles of whiskey.

History of the Adidas Logo

Adidas has long been famous for its three stripes logo, however, they weren’t
the first company to use the design. The original owner of the logo was Karhu
Sports. However, Karhu Sports was hit hard by WWII, and short on capital,
the owner agreed to sell Adidas the trademark to their logo for €1,600 and
two bottles of whiskey.

In 1971, the company unveiled the three-stripe logo in a form that resembled
a leaf they called the “trefoil”. This version was later replaced by the current
logo which is shaped like a triangle, though the trefoil logo can still be found
on some Adidas products.

Design Elements of the Adidas Logo

Even before Adidas purchased the trefoil logo from Karhu Sports, they were
adding three bars to all of their products, and they referred to themselves as
the “three stripe company”. These three stripes were meant to convey the
diversity and international appeal of the company by symbolizing the three
major land masses where Adidas shoes were sold – North America, Europe,
and Asia.

Adidas added even more meaning and symbolism to their latest logo by
making the logo into a triangle shape that looks like a mountain sloping
upwards. This mountain is meant to symbolize overcoming challenges – a
popular theme for the athletes that Adidas sells their apparel to.

Adidas has also chosen to feature the name of their company in all lower-
case font on their logo. This choice represents the casual, informal nature of
the Adidas brand.

Lastly, since no particular color scheme is attached to Adidas logo, Adidas is

free to alter the color of the logo anyway they see fit in order to compliment
the design of the apparel they are putting it on.

Popularity of the Adidas Logo

Apparel companies live and die by the popularity of their design. Not only do
they need their design to be appealing to customers, they also need it to be
immediately recognizable in order for the most important aspects of their
marketing strategy to work.

For example, Adidas pays mass amounts of money to have their shoes worn
by pro athletes in the NBA and beyond. The goal is that people will see these
athletes wearing these shoes and be inspired to buy them for themselves.
However, when a basketball player in the NBA wears Adidas shoes on the
court, there is no advertisement that they are wearing them other than a
prominent logo on the shoe. Adidas, therefore, counts on people being able
to recognize the logo in an instant in order for these promotions to work.

Thankfully, the
Adidas logo is indeed immediately recognizable. It’s a simple design that has
changed very little over the years and does not rely on hard-to-see text to
make it recognizable.

While there’s no doubt that people buy Adidas apparel for its quality, it is still
the Adidas logo that is the primary selling point for the company. All of their
apparel features the iconic logo in some form or the other, making the logo
the chief element of their clothing design.

Best of all, Adidas has managed to tie a message to their logo. When people
see Adidas apparel or they see someone else wearing it, they immediately
associate the apparel with quality and athleticism. It is this association that
keeps many customers coming back to Adidas time and time again.

While great, quality logos are important for any company, they are especially
important for companies such as Adidas and Nike, which anchor their entire
marketing strategy to their logo. Given the international success of the
company, Adidas is a great example of how much success a logo can bring a
company when it’s done right.

Adidas Logo Design History and

Evolution
By Eric N. Addams

When Adidas came to life in 1924, it meant to be a modest

German sports shoe shop. However, in a brilliant move, founder
Adi Dassler got sprinter, Jesse Owens, to wear his shoes during
the 1936 Summer Olympics. Adidas shoes quickly gained a
reputation as a favorite among athletes, and the company ended
up expanding rapidly. In modern times, the Adidas logo appears
on everything from clothing to sports equipment.

They are considered one of the top companies in the industry. The
signature three stripe is a sign of quality and style. This article will
tell you about the fascinating history behind this logo.

Adidas Logo Design Elements

The Adidas logo has a simple yet bold appearance that works well
with the company’s sportswear and equipment. The three vertical
rectangles are rotated 30 degrees to the left and cut off along the
bottom. The overall effect is a triangular, mountainous shape
made out of three stripes of equal width. At the bottom is the
word of the company, “adidas”, in all lowercase letters.
The rounded, sans serif font used in the Adidas logo is a slightly
modified version of the Avant Garde Bold font. However, the
brand does not restrict their logo to one color. The most common
display is using black for the stripes and name while using white
for the background. However, the logo can also appear in other
colors, such as white, red, green, or blue.

Changes and Evolution

1. Shape
The Adidas logo has always included three stripes because Adi
Dassler used this design in his original shoes. In 1971, the
company started making clothing, so they changed their logo
shape to the iconic trefoil. This design was three football-shaped
leaves arranged so that the bottom of the logo was a curve and
the top of the logo was three points. The logo incorporated the
three stripes as three horizontal bars across the base of the
leaves, and at the bottom of the logo was the phrase “adidas.”
The trefoil design still shows up on some “Adidas original”
products, but ever since 1997, the company has used their
current mountain logo.

2. Color
Adidas has always used the same color scheme. Usually, it was a
mono color logo on a mono color background. There has never
been a set shade for the company’s logo, but all three versions
most commonly appear as black on white design.

3. Font
The logo font has also remained somewhat consistent even as the
logo shape changes. All versions have used the same san serif
lowercase font. The only major change to the logo font is that it
got bigger when it changed in 1997. It’s something similar to
the Dolce and Gabbana logo, both meant to express innovation.
Influences/Inspiration
Dassler originally just thought that the three stripes looked
appealing and stylish. Since then, the company has chosen to
keep this theme as a sign of tradition. The three leaves used in
the trefoil design are supposed to represent the landmasses of
Europe, Africa, and America because Adidas primarily sells in
these areas. According to the designers, the three horizontal bars
connecting the landmasses show diversity. Creative director Peter
Moore chose to design the new logo as a mountain, though. This
was because he wanted the Adidas logo meaning to represent the
obstacle athletes need to overcome.

Trivia
Adi Dassler’s brother, Rudolf, ended up founding rival shoe brand
Puma after they got into a fight. This caused a massive scandal
when Puma sponsored a German sprinter in the Olympics, but the
sprinter showed up at the medals ceremony wearing Adidas.

Adidas shoes are especially popular among the rap community

because they appreciate the message of diversity. It’s another call
back to the African-American hero, Jesse Owens, who made the
shoes famous.

Run-DMC even made a song named “My Adidas”.

Conclusion
The Adidas logo is one of the most recognizable sportswear logos
due to its bold three stripe design. The heartwarming message
behind the design and its stylish appearance have made it a
favorite of both musicians and athletes. Both the trefoil and
mountain logos have become a major part of the streetwear style
trend, yet they also continue to be a favorite among the athletic
community. The Adidas logo history alone speaks of the diversity
and excellence we can expect from competitive sports.
Adolf Dassler, the founder of Adidas first found the Shoe company - Gebrüder
Dassler Schuhfabrik with his brother Rudolf Dassler in 1924.

The shoes manufactured went on to display the famous 2 stripes:

[Source: A LOOK INTO THE HISTORY OF ADIDAS]

These stripes; however, served a purpose: Bind the lateral sides (right and left) of the
shoe silhouette tightly together in order to retain it's proper shape.
Soon, the 2 stripes became an identity of the company.

Unfortunately, in 1948, the 2 brother split, and while Rudolf Dassler went on to start
Puma, a year later Adolf Dassler bounced back by registering his own shoe company,
named Adidas.

Adi, as he was lovingly known as, could not use the 2 stripes anymore as they were
registered to Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik, and he still needed the 2 stripes for
retaining the shape of the shoes, so (maybe) on a whim, de decided to add in a 3rd
stripe between the existing 2.

Today the 3 stripes are an identity of the company.

DISCLAIMER: This is the story I heard as a part of our orientation seminar in

Adidas, when I joined the firm a year ago. The words are my understanding of the
history of Adidas, and hence I accept that there are chances that there might be more
or even different reasoning to the 3 stripes story.
Adidas este o companie multinațională cu sediul în Germania, care produce diverse articole
sportive și a avut în 2006 o cifră de afaceri de peste 10 miliarde de euro. Adidas este al doilea cel
mai mare producător de articole sportive, precedat de Nike[3]. Companiile Puma și Adidas au luat
naștere la sfârșitul anilor '40 după ce doi frați, Adolf și Rudolf Dassler, nu s-au putut pune de
acord cu privire la strategia ce trebuia urmată de compania de încălțăminte pe care o fondaseră
în 1924[4][5]. Ambele companii își au sediul în același oraș aflat în regiunea de sud a Germaniei, la
200 km nord de Munchen[4].
În anul 2005 Adidas a achiziționat compania rivală Reebok International pentru suma de 3,8
miliarde de dolari pentru a ajunge din urmă Nike, din punct de vedere al vânzărilor[4].

In 2011, adidas brought together sport, street, and style for the very first time in
one campaign and told the world what it means to go ‘all in’. The campaign is the
biggest marketing push in our brand’s history. For the first time digital almost
reached the same recognition score as TV, which proves that the multi-channel
approach with a strong digital activation was the right way to reach our young
target group. Today, the campaign goes into the second round. For me, being the
Brand Marketing Director for the campaign, this is a very exciting time. Let me
give you some background on why the campaign is so special and important to
adidas, what will be different to the campaign’s first phase and what we expect
from the second.

What is “adidas is all in” about?

The adidas “all in” brand anthem

The starting point for the ‘all in’ campaign was easy – it all starts with passion – a word that is
synonymous with the adidas brand. Being passionate about what you do is something that
everyone from skaters to painters, and from footballers to fencers, can relate to – and so do our
consumers. The challenge in building a singular campaign for the whole brand is finding the
right storyline and creative concept to tie everything together.
The creative concept behind the campaign is for the love of the game, no matter
the game, we put all our heart into it. This is exactly what our brand anthem tells
(see the picture on the right side).
 What was the idea behind the brand campaign for
2012?
In 2012, the brand takes the next step and invites the world to go all in, too. The
campaign reveals that right this second, people are going all in, all around the
world. They’re going all in, playing all in, living all in, and it’s uniting us all.
We’re shining the spotlight on those who are doing it and encouraging anyone
who sees the campaign to join them. Our goal is to create intimacy between our
assets and the brand fans and consumers. Therefore, we will help them creating
and enhancing their own style whilst giving them the latest news on hot
tendencies, events.

Eventually everybody who has ever challenged themselves knows the all in moment. That
seminal moment when your heart was leading and your head was cowering. That moment
when you nailed the shot, stuck the landing, smoked the guard, kissed without asking, ran till
you puked, took the hit, made the gap.

We zero in on those ‘all in’ moments that drive some of the greatest sport, street
and style icons. And we reflect those moments back to the next generation of
passionistas in a way that enables them to stand shoulder to shoulder with their
heroes. Each understands the other’s passion and respects that they go all in for it.
 Why is it special?

adidas encourages consumers and brand fans to go all in

We’re able to tell the ‘all in’ story, through the eyes of the worlds biggest icons and get into
their underlying motivations. That’s an advantage only few brands in the world have. For
example, when you watch Messi playing a game, you see pure poetry and skill, but this
campaign goes behind the curtain and explores the insights of what drives Messi to be the
greatest. What drives David Beckham or Derrick Rose or Katy Perry to go all in? Watch this
space!

Why is it important for the brand?

The consumer is at the heart of everything that we do. For adidas, the young
consumers, the next generation, are the focus. Our company has to connect to
these kids and get them excited. These kids are not only football OR guitar
players, fashion lovers OR artists – they are all of them in one person. Just like
adidas, they have many different facets and they don’t think in categories like
Style or Performance.
Therefore we show that going all in is a consistent factor across sport, street and
style. Anybody who has ever done anything they’re passionate about has gone all
in, no matter if that’s on the football pitch, on the mic, on the catwalk, on the
screen or on the court. Right this second, people are going all in. And it’s
happening all over the world.

How is it different to previous versions?

In 2012, we will share those moments with people who go all in. A re-engineered
online platform will house the stories of adidas athletes as they go all in. We also
challenge consumers to ‘see, run, get’ in an activity that will run in most of our
markets and culminate in the ultimate all in experience in London this
summer. Serious money can’t buy opportunities that only adidas could offer. But
you’ve got to be ready to run after what you want. Get ready to run!
https://www.adidas-group.com/en/group/history/