If you talk about the famous sports brands around the world that design kits, shoes, and other sports accessories, you would think about the leader of that industry first. And, very few would disagree that Adidas is not one of the leading brands when it comes to sports footwear, accessories, and apparel.
Like most other popular brands all over the world, Adidas also has a very rich history. To know the history of the brand Adidas, you have to go back to the early 20th century and go along with the time of modern history, world wars and the Olympics to find out what made Adidas such a huge name in the sports industry. Thus, in this article, let’s briefly discuss the history of the brand Adidas.
How It All Began for Adidas
To understand the success of Adidas, you have to go back to the early days. The company was founded in 1924 by Adolf Dassler in the Herzogenaurach area of Germany. In the early days, the company was known as “Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik” which translates to English as Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory.
The shoes made by Dassler gained recognition in the true sense a decade later in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Jesse Owens, who is an American field and track athlete, won four gold medals by wearing the handmade spikes of Dassler. This made everyone take notice of Dassler’s work and his business skyrocketed.
Creation of Adidas
Before World War II, Dassler’s company already was a big name. During the war, things started to rough up between both brothers Adolf and Rudolf Dassler and by the time the war ended, the crack in their relationship went beyond repair. So, in 1947, both brothers decided to separate their business which resulted in the creation of two companies.
Rudolf created the brand Puma which is still a rival to Adolf’s brand Adidas. Yes, Adolf Dassler used the initial alphabet from his name to create the name for his company Adidas. In 1952, the famous three-stripes logo of Adidas appeared for the first time which since has become an iconic symbol in the world of sports.
Innovation and Endorsement of Adidas
1954
To get prominence in the world of sports footwear and apparel, Adidas needs to make its products better. For that, Adidas relied heavily on innovation and, for the first time since, the Olympics in 1936, Adidas a brand got recognized in the 1954 FIFA World Cup.
The German team won the tournament by wearing Adidas footwear and for the first time, people saw screws in the studs of football players. People started noticing the brand Adidas because they believed that those cleats helped the German national team win the tournament.
1965
One of the most significant years in the history of Adidas was 1965. In this year, the brand launched its one of the most iconic sneakers called the Stan Smith. People loved it and thus, this tennis shoe became one of the best-selling shoes in history.
1970
Adidas took a significant step in the year 1970 which made them a prominent brand in world sports. They signed a deal with FIFA which is the biggest Football governing body to supply the official ball for their quadrennial event, the FIFA World. Adidas has been the official ball supplier for the FIFA World Cup to this day.
How Adidas Captured the Global Market
Adidas was already a big name during the 1970s. But, after that, they started making apparel for football teams all over the world and fans started buying those official jerseys which gave a huge boost to the brand Adidas. Sports teams from all over the world wanted to be a part of Adidas because they made great jerseys and kits. Thus, Adidas became a global brand and is now, surely one of the biggest sports brands in the world.
The Bottom Line
Finally, Adidas is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the sports footwear and apparel industry. Therefore, they have a long history that you have learnt here briefly. Adidas is one sports brand that is known for embracing trendy fashion designs and making them athlete-friendly. That is why many also think that Adidas creates the most stylish sportswear in the world.
