Adi Dassler has his own flickr profile as Ben from NoisyDecentGraphics found out when Adi added one of his adidas themed shots as one of his favorites. Ben's guessing it may be someone in MKT at the three stripes or just a sneaker aficionado. Due to the icon/avatar and the wording... methinks it's these guys...who made this.

With the European Championships in football closing in, I'm glad England is not participating. Living in England I don't ever want to experience a collective big loss. This means, as Creative Review points out that the football ads will be striking the earth madly in the coming months and it has already begun, now at the Creative Review blog and earlier on Scamp who has a Nike month.

Brilliant ad for Nike today, "from the player's perspective," giving us all that feeling of anything is possible and a puts us all in the position of players in the big arenas. Most importantly there are some really good ones form 180 Amsterdam for Adidas on Creative Review's blog, telling the stories of the world's smallest football leagues. 180 Amsterdam has done some fantastic work for Adidas, working on the product, with authenticity and what the Adidas wearers share with each other, the customers relationships to each others (notice how I avoid the B- word). See Sean Thompson, creative director on 180 Amsterdam, speak about the work on Impossible is nothing with Adidas at Please Copy Me.

My main thought about all of the football ads is the lack of focus on the real customer. I understand that endorsements from famous athletes is vital for a sports clothes and shoes manufacturers (complicated to avoid the B- word) and that the customer sometimes solely buys a pair of trainers because they look up to a celebrity using the same pair but the bigger audience must be the everyday user. Not the football player, but the fan. This is even more relevant when it comes to the ads running during the European Cup. Wouldn't it be interesting to picture and portray the fan instead. Not an original idea in any way, but picture the same ads but from fan's perspective. Undoubtedly easier to relate too.

The Adidas ads tells the stories about the players and coaches in the smallest football clubs in the world. Yes indeed they are remarkable, but the fans of these teams are even more remarkable. How can you support a club that plays the same team every game? That's real love for the game, when you don't even get the opportunity to score a goal. Instead of building up the dream of winning, show the supporters of the losers or winners. Same beautiful production, same feeling of happiness when someone scores a goal but closer to the costumer. Involving the costumer in the product, not the image of the product.

Communication, not movies.

And there's no real positioning;

Nike: Take it to the next level

Adidas: Impossible is nothing, Dream Big

Alfred: Taken impossible to the last level

There isn’t an option to embed the video so to view you can go to the official link:
http://www.adidas.com/campaigns/adidassler/content/index.asp?strCountry_

Or view the bootleg from YouTube:

The video tells the story of Adi Dassler, the company’s founder, and also its namesake. Who knew? I always thought Adidas was an acronym for All Day I Dream About Soccer or Sports or various other words beginning with an "S". Tracking Adidas throughout history the movie highlights sports milestones from the past as well as innovations the company has made and it’s impact on culture.

Unfortunately there isn’t much information regarding the production of the video or anyone involved in its creation online, other than the agency. I will be tossing in my own thoughts on this campaign as well as others for Lakai and GAP soon. In the meantime here is a little more info about Adidas and the videos:

Further Reading
Josh Spear

Adverblog

Adidas – Adi Dassler Background

adidas have launched a new set of online, print and tv related campaign elements for their 2008 collection of ORIGINALS clothing. Things kicked off with a fully "animated" ad by 180 Amsterdam featuring Adi Dassler the founder of adidas (see below).

Here is the official release:

Here are some of the campaign elements...

1. Adi Dassler

adidas Originals - Adi Dassler - 2:45 min

2. Sounds of the City

adidas Originals - Sounds of the City_Detroit - 3:09 min

I really like this ad..been looking for it for quite some time after I've seen it in the cinema...!

3. adidas Originals "Games"

Finally this ad I found today...dunno how it fits in but I think it is really cool!

adidas Originals - Games - 2:05 min

All in all, a really cool campaign and I am looking forward to more extensions!

Visit: adidas.com/originals

It's hard not to love a brand like this. A new animated history spot by 180 Amsterdam for the brand with the three stripes. Throw in the Liverpool FC pennant and I'm fist-bumping the screen (I don't know what that means). Via: adverblog