Since 1949, Adidas, the three stripes brand, has been making a splash in the market. This three-stripes brand started in a laundry room and dominated the sports wear industry. When you see the brand with the three stripes, you can instantly recognize where it comes from.
The reflexive connection it builds is not accidental- this potent symbol is built through strategic branding. Adidas differentiates its brand from the rival competition, Nike and Puma.
In this article, we’ll dive deeper into the Adidas brand with the three stripes branding strategies that make its name in the fashion industry. Let’s jump right in.
Adidas Logos: Quality, Strength, and Perseverance
Over time, Adidas has evolved its brand and logo. Three stripes hit the mark and became the trademark of Adidas. At the beginning, the logo featured an Adidas black sans-serif font wordmark.
Trefoil logo
This version of the Adidas trefoil logo was introduced in the 1970s. It looks like a three-leaf shape, with three stripes passing through it. It’s the time when the brand started its clothing line, and it’s the same one that is used in Lifestyle and Casual Wear today.
It represents the diversity of the brand while merging its three iconic stripes in the logo. The trefoil logo product is most popular among people outside of the sports scene.
Three-leaf design spotlights diversity, growth, and is linked with the brand’s global reach in three regions: North America, Europe, and Asia. This trefoil logo is closely associated with Adidas Originals, which honors the brand’s heritage and iconic designs.
The Mountain Logo
In the 90s, tthe brand updated its logo. Adidas trio stripes placed into a mountain shape symbol. At the same time, the mountain shape logo has been widely used in the sports performance product category till now. This three-bar mountain logo is also known as the Badge of Sport.
This standard logo symbolizes the ambition and determination to pursue goals and overcome obstacles to achieve high performance and success.
Neo-Circle logo
In 2002, Adidas updated its logo, and the three stripes were enclosed in a circle. This Neo-Circle logo operates in the Adidas Style product lines. It focuses on daily fashion wear instead of brand performance-based athletic wear. It’s a symbol of unity, brand global reach, and its adaptable approach.
Adidas WordMark Logo
Adidas introduced a new brand name wordmark alongside the three stripes. It conveys the brand’s simplicity, quality, leadership, and a connection to the brand’s heritage. Meanwhile, this wordmark logo with iconic stripes, along with other Adidas logos, hand in hand, raises the brand’s global recognition.
Timeless brand Colors
Adidas’ primary color palette is black and white. You can also see this in its logo, conveying sophistication and timelessness. Besides that, the brand also uses Golden Dream (yellow) shades of blue, red, and other hues to complement their core colours and create a dynamic visual experience.
Three stripes: Brand purpose, values, and mission
The key to the success of Adidas is to clearly define its brand purpose and mission, values that reflect in its trips and everyday operations.
Adidas, the three stripes brand, has the purpose of
“‘Through sports, we have the power to change lives.”
This statement guides the brand on how to run a company, create a new product, and engage with its customers, as a brand always pushes consumers to strive and push human possibilities, all to unite people of the sports world and help in creating a more sustainable earth.
Adidas deeply rooted its purpose by following sustainable practices in operating its business. From responsible sourcing to recycling, Adidas has set clear targets to achieve its goal of zero emissions by 2050, outlining its approach to achieving this objective.
Adidas is on a mission
“To be the best sports brand in the world.”
Every day, the brand works to produce and sell the best sports products in the world with the best customer experience in the world.
Adidas Values follows its purpose and mission. The brand motivates consumers to win with courage, ownership, innovation, while playing fair, teamwork, integrity, and respect.
Moreover, Adidas created thorough brand guidelines that also help the brand to stay consistent with its logo, colour, typography, purpose, mission, values, and message on social platforms.
Empowering Storytelling
Adidas’ brand personality reflects a sense of motivation, innovation, and performance orientation, while prioritizing its community and inclusivity.
Storytelling is at the heart of adidas’ branding strategy that builds loyal consumers. At the beginning, Adidas brand messaging revolved around performance and quality for athletes, which reflects the brand’s passion to create high-quality products. Though the messaging evolves, it stays connected to its roots.
Adidas’ “Impossible Is Nothing“ brand slogan represents storytelling that touches the soul of its consumers. Basically, this message was inspired by Muhammad Ali. Adidas’ ad represents everyday athletes who tell their ‘Impossible’ stories through their hand-drawn illustration. Every athlete defines their challenges, struggles, and life-defining moments that make it possible.
Adidas marked the most impactful Women’s World Cup campaign that united the football legends to support the women’s game. The brand message Play Until They Can’t Look Away calls for respect, celebrates achievement, advocates for equality, and inspires future generations.
Adidas brings Jenna Ortega, Lionel Messi, and David Beckham together in a storytelling ad to celebrate the stars of the women’s game.
The message is under the brand essence “Impossible is Nothing.
It’s the message that shows brand beliefs and motivates athletes to overcome challenges and push the limits, as everything is achievable.
This iconic message has stayed with the brand for 20 years, from 2004 to early 2025.
Currently, the Adidas brand message evolves to “You Got This.” The brand shifts its focus to bringing positivity in sports, as four out of five grassroots athletes experience uncooperative behaviours. That, in short, drives them to get out of the sport.
The brand highlights how a positive behaviour can make a difference in another athlete’s life.
It features authentic athletes, such as Anthony Edwards, to demonstrate how positive behaviors contribute to their current success. The brand adopts a fly-on-the-wall approach and releases messaging videos.
The message encourages consumers to create a world where athletes feel empowered and can achieve their goals. To make the next generation of athletes believe that you’ve Got This.
Adidas’ strategic and cultural partnerships
Adidas presents its core message through collaboration with sport, fashion, and culture influencers. In the meantime, Adidas has teamed up with Lionel Messi, David Beckham, Patrick Mahomes, James Harden, Jurgen Klopp, and Lamine Yamal to boost the brand’s awareness.
Other than that, Adidas strategically partners with culture shifters like Missy Elliot, Kanye West, and Pharrell. From sports to music influencers, Adidas partners with organisations such as iFundWomen, NAACP, and BeyGOOD to contribute to building better lives for everyone around the globe.
Meanwhile, these collaborations help Adidas to increase global recognition, build authority, and become deeply connected with consumers.
Takeaway
The Adidas brand, with its three stripes, didn’t achieve success in a straight line. It took time to achieve significant growth. While staying true to its brand values, mission, and purpose, and consistent with its iconic three stripes logo, strategic partnerships help the brand build a deep emotional connection with its audience in the long run.
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