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The Story of Adidas
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In 1920, German-born Adolf Dassler (A.K.A Adi) started making sports shoes in his mother's kitchen 
Adi's vision was simple:
- Produce the best shoe for the requirements of the job,
- Protect the athlete from an injury &
- Ensure the product lasted
- Produce the best shoe for the requirements of the job,
- Protect the athlete from an injury &
- Ensure the product lasted
Four years later,
In 1924, His brother Rudolf joined him
Rudolf handled Sales & marketing
Adi designed and created shoes
The same year they registered the company as
“Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory”
In 1924, His brother Rudolf joined him
Rudolf handled Sales & marketing
Adi designed and created shoes
The same year they registered the company as
“Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory”
A handful of employees had joined and they were producing 50 pairs of shoes per day
In 1925, Adi obtained his first patent:
1. A Running shoe &
2. A Football boot.
In 1925, Adi obtained his first patent:
1. A Running shoe &
2. A Football boot.
Interest picked up through word-of-mouth and
by the mid-1930s Adi was making 30 different pairs of shoes for 11 types of sport,
and employing almost 100 people
[...]
by the mid-1930s Adi was making 30 different pairs of shoes for 11 types of sport,
and employing almost 100 people
[...]
1936 Olympics was held in Adi's home country 
Dassler shoes were worn by most of the German athletes and realized
"The athletes are the best advertisement"
Adi started endorsing top celebrated athletes
Dassler shoes were worn by most of the German athletes and realized
"The athletes are the best advertisement"
Adi started endorsing top celebrated athletes
“Adi became the first entrepreneur to use sports promotion to raise awareness” 
Adi took a risk and persuaded US sprinter Jesse Owens to try Dassler shoes
The gamble paid off when Owens won 4 Olympic gold medals
Next 3 years, around 600,000 shoes were sold
The gamble paid off when Owens won 4 Olympic gold medals
Next 3 years, around 600,000 shoes were sold
Just when things were going great
WW2 happened :(
The Factory was seized by the military
Rudolf and employees were enrolled in the army
Adi remained and manufactured products for the army
The factory was seized by the military
WW2 happened :(
The Factory was seized by the military
Rudolf and employees were enrolled in the army
Adi remained and manufactured products for the army
The factory was seized by the military
After the war,
Adi regrouped under 50 people and started making sports shoes again.
He made shoes with the materials leftover from the war (Army tents, Canvas, Rubber from US fuel tanks)
He never gave up :)
Adi regrouped under 50 people and started making sports shoes again.
He made shoes with the materials leftover from the war (Army tents, Canvas, Rubber from US fuel tanks)
He never gave up :)
As the business developed the brothers grew apart
Eventually, in 1948, They split.
Rudolf took half of the co's shoemaking machines and started another shoe biz across the river
Here comes the shocker
Eventually, in 1948, They split.
Rudolf took half of the co's shoemaking machines and started another shoe biz across the river
Here comes the shocker
“The company eventually became Puma,
one of Adidas' biggest rivals.”
one of Adidas' biggest rivals.”
In 1949, the term Adidas was coined
Adi (Adolf) + Das (Dassler)
All my life I thought it was:
A.D.I.D.A.S - “All Day I Dream About Sports”
But anyway
Adi (Adolf) + Das (Dassler)
All my life I thought it was:
A.D.I.D.A.S - “All Day I Dream About Sports”
But anyway
A new logo was designed (Iconic three stripes)
Also, Adi decided to focus on football shoes and produced his first shoes with moulded rubbers studs.
Also, Adi decided to focus on football shoes and produced his first shoes with moulded rubbers studs.
Adidas and Puma both went heavy on endorsements
In 1954, Adidas kinda won the battle when the entire German national football team wore Adidas during the world cup
The shoes with screw-in studs (A new feature)
[...]
In 1954, Adidas kinda won the battle when the entire German national football team wore Adidas during the world cup
The shoes with screw-in studs (A new feature)
[...]
West Germany won against Hungary
Final was played on a Wet & rainy day (The screw-in studs helped them win the match)
Adi was featured in newspapers with the team = World attention = 450,000 shoes sold that year
Final was played on a Wet & rainy day (The screw-in studs helped them win the match)
Adi was featured in newspapers with the team = World attention = 450,000 shoes sold that year
The Olympic Games 1960 (Rome)
75% of all track and field athletes were wearing Adidas shoes
75% of all track and field athletes were wearing Adidas shoes
"Fight of the Century (1971)"
Both Muhammed Ali & Joe Frazier wore Adidas
(Designed by Adi himself)
Both Muhammed Ali & Joe Frazier wore Adidas
(Designed by Adi himself)
Now the downfall starts 
Adi died in 1978 & Rudolf fours years earlier (The brothers never worked out their differences)
The year Adi died, 45 Million shoes were sold.
Adi died in 1978 & Rudolf fours years earlier (The brothers never worked out their differences)
The year Adi died, 45 Million shoes were sold.
His wife (Kathe) continued to run the business
She passed away six years later.
His son, Horst took control in 1985
He had big plans for a global restructure but he died 3 years later too
She passed away six years later.
His son, Horst took control in 1985
He had big plans for a global restructure but he died 3 years later too
Without a leader, Adidas was heading towards an uncertain future.
Adi's four daughters kept fighting, causing Adidas to lose direction & market share
Adi's four daughters kept fighting, causing Adidas to lose direction & market share
In 1989, the daughters sold the business for $512M
(Real value was around $1B)
Adidas was sold to French Businessman Bernard Tapie
[...]
(Real value was around $1B)
Adidas was sold to French Businessman Bernard Tapie
[...]
He did a few changes but was unable to revive Adidas.
In 1992, Adidas was near bankruptcy with just 3% of the market share
French bank Credit Lyonnais found a new buyer
Robert Louis Dreyfus (Harvard graduate) took over in 1993
In 1992, Adidas was near bankruptcy with just 3% of the market share
French bank Credit Lyonnais found a new buyer
Robert Louis Dreyfus (Harvard graduate) took over in 1993
Dreyfus wasted no time
- Targeted young market
- Outsourced production (to cut costs)
- Fired senior mgmt
- Invested heavily in marketing
&
- Acquisitions (Comeback plan)
- Targeted young market
- Outsourced production (to cut costs)
- Fired senior mgmt
- Invested heavily in marketing
&
- Acquisitions (Comeback plan)
Dreyfus bought Sports Inc, Hired two former Nike executives and got in retros which became an instant hit 
They even got Run DMC to write a rap song "My Adidas" in 1996
They even got Run DMC to write a rap song "My Adidas" in 1996
By the 50th Anniversary in 1999
Adidas did $5 Billion in sales with nearly 13,000 employees
That's crazy right.
Almost bankrupt in '93 & $5B in sales by '99
Adidas did $5 Billion in sales with nearly 13,000 employees
That's crazy right.
Almost bankrupt in '93 & $5B in sales by '99
Current Adidas is producing over 448M pair of shoes every year and over $32B in sales
Damn this was a big thread
If you stuck with me till here
Please RT this thread and follow me for more
I'll be writing 5 threads this week and this is my 3rd
Much love,
Prado
If you stuck with me till here
Please RT this thread and follow me for more
I'll be writing 5 threads this week and this is my 3rd
Much love,
Prado
Thread one of the week https://twitter.com/pradologue/status/1328336620588658689?s=20
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