Reebok 2014 Annual Report Download - page 63

adidas Group
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2014 Annual Report
Group Management Report – Our Group
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2014
Global Brands Strategy
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02.3
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Activation and validation via a relevant set of promotion partnerships
The utilisation of promotion partners such as federations, teams, leagues, events and individuals
is an important part of validating and endorsing brand positioning, and an area to which the Group
dedicates significant resources. This not only serves as a vehicle to showcase the credentials of
adidas and Reebok products in the performance and fitness arenas, respectively, it also facilitates
the extension of the adidas and Reebok brands in the sports-inspired lifestyle market. Both adidas
and Reebok follow a partnership strategy geared to best reflect their respective positioning in the
market.
One of the guiding principles of adidas is to equip all athletes to achieve their ‘impossible’. As such,
adidas brings its passion for great products to the biggest stages in the world, with sponsorship
agreements for the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA EURO, the UEFA Champions League, the NBA, the
Boston Marathon and the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations). In addition,
adidas has an extensive roster of high-profile sports teams, such as the national federations of
Germany, Spain, Argentina, Russia, Mexico, Colombia and Japan, as well as top clubs Real Madrid,
AC Milan, Chelsea FC, FC Bayern Munich and – starting in the summer of 2015 – Manchester
United in football, the New Zealand All Blacks and France in rugby, American universities such
as UCLA, as well as high-profile individuals such as football stars Lionel Messi, Gareth Bale and
James Rodriguez, basketball stars Derrick Rose, John Wall and Damian Lillard, marathon record
holder Dennis Kimetto, American football quarterback Robert Griffin III, also known as ‘RG3’, and
tennis star Caroline Wozniacki. In addition, adidas also has a number of strategic partnerships
and collaborations with top designers and design studios, such as with Yohji Yamamoto, Stella
McCartney, Jeremy Scott, Nigo and Porsche Design. The brand also has similar relationships with
many of the most creative personalities from across the entertainment industry, including Kanye
West, Pharrell Williams and Rita Ora.
To activate and validate its key concepts, Reebok is partnering with some of the most influential
fitness movements and organisations and accomplished people in the fitness industry. Reebok
partnerships include those with the UFC, CrossFit (including the CrossFit Games), Spartan Race,
Les Mills and Color Run. Additionally, Reebok’s partners include top influencers in the ‘tough
fitness’ market such as UFC Champions Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor as well
as CrossFit all-stars Rich Froning and Camille Leblanc-Bazinet. Reebok Classics partners with
musicians, fashion leaders and artists to amplify activations and product validation in the lifestyle
category, with ambassadors such as Kendrick Lamar and Melody Ehsani.
see Picture 09
see Picture 10
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Reebok
CrossFit Games
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adidas
FIFA World Cup