The story about Adidas origin, how the company started, earned a place as a reputable sports brand, and its logo history is intriguing.
Adidas is one of the most revered and renowned footwear and clothing companies in the globe.
Although the athletic wear industry has become even more competitive than ever, Adidas has registered its presence in the scene, challenging huge leading brands such as Nike and New Balance.
They’ve devised strategies in maintaining and attracting new customers to the brand when apparel companies are struggling. One stand-out factor that played a vital role in the brand’s success is its eye-catching unique designs evident in its products.
In this article, we’ll go down memory lane, digging into the Adidas origin, history, logo and meaning, and finally, interesting Adidas facts. Read on.
Adidas origin
Adidas’ origin can be a bit controversial for many. The company founder, Adolf Dassler, had fought in World War I on the Germans’ side and later joined the Nazi Party in World War II.
Returning from World War I, Dassler began sports shoe production right in his mother’s home, in the laundry section, unknown to him, it was the birth to one of the world’s greatest brands in decades to come. His elder brother Rudolf joined him initially, but sadly the duo had a fallout and went their separate ways. Rudolf established his company, now known as Puma, a bitter rival to the Adidas brand.
The first breakthrough for Dassler Shoes, as it was known, occurred in the 1936 Summer Olympics. With a suitcase full of cleats, Adolf arrived at the competition ground and persuaded sprinter Jesse Owens to wear his shoes in the competition, thus resulting in Jesse becoming the first African-American to receive sponsorship in the Olympics. That led to the increasing popularity of Dassler Shoes.
How Adidas got its name and change in ownership
In 1947, Dassler Shoes underwent a name changing process. From his nickname “Adi” and the first three letters of his last name, “Dassler,” Adolf changed his company’s name to Adidas. He presided over his company until 1987, when he sold it to a French Investor, Bernard Tapie, for ₣1.6 billion.
Under Tapie’s control, Adidas production spiked. However, Tapie resold Adidas to Robert Louis-Dreyfus as he could not pay interest on the loan initially used in purchasing the company.
In the following years, Adidas went through various changes in ownership. Consequently, it was to the brand’s advantage as it kept increasing in popularity and growing more prosperous.
Fast-forward to today, Adidas is a big name in the athletic wear industry. It supplies sports apparel to several sports leagues, including the NBA, NFL, Premier League, and many others.
Currently, Adidas is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second-largest in the world.
