This is going to sound very dumb and out-of-touch, I KNOW THAT, but my only real exposure to the Adidas brand is through watching tennis. A decent number of top tennis players are sponsored by Adidas, like Garbine Muguruza, Alexander Zverev, Dominic Thiem, Jelena Ostapenko, etc. Maybe the gear is super-comfortable and functional, but I usually think the designs are struggling. One of the worst moments for Adidas-sponsored tennis was when they got Pharrell Williams to “design” the tennis kits for the 2017 US Open and it was some colorblocked ‘70s nonsense.
This goes part and parcel with my disdain for non-athletes getting sponsorships or ambassadorships with athletic-gear companies: I don’t get it. I don’t get why someone would be more likely to wear an Adidas tracksuit if they saw it on Pharrell rather than Garbi Muguruza or David Beckham or whatever. I get that athleisure is an increasingly HUGE business, but doesn’t an athletic-wear company want to retain its athletic-wear roots by getting athletes to be the face of the company? I guess not.
So if you’re going to sign up regular celebrities to be the face of your company as brand-ambassadors, why not go for people who truly seem to live the athleisure life? But no… Adidas just signed Kylie Jenner to be their latest brand ambassador. Kylie had a contract with Puma which she barely represented, and now she’s with Adidas. Kanye West has worked with Adidas on his Yeezy line since 2015, and Kendall Jenner also has a brand-ambassadorship with Adidas as of May 2017 (remember that nonsensical commercial last year?). Knowing that Adidas is in bed with Kanye, Kendall and Kylie, does that make you more or less likely to buy their sweatpants, tracksuits, leggings and t-shirts?
Courtesy of Instagram.
Who cares.
I’ve been wanting a pair of the classic Adidas for a while. I used the wear them all the time but haven’t gotten a pair in years. I saw a coworker wearing them recently and remembered how great they can look. So for me, I guess it doesn’t matter one bit who is endorsing them if the product is good and Adidas are timeless.
Also, I kind of get them being brand ambassadors for this particular brand. Adidas has roots in the hip hop community so it makes sense for Kanye. And both Kendall and Kylie have dated (and now procreated) with rappers. My main association with Adidas is Run DMC, not sports.
“Got blue and black cause I like to chill, and yellow and green when it’s time to get ill”
I just scored a vintage Adidas DMC sweatshirt and it is the best thing ever. They are definitely my first association with the brand too.
They should drop Kendall and keep Kylie. Kylie is a sweetheart who will do the easy amount of work asked of her to rake in her millions for this deal, and she’ll probably do it with a smile on her face.
Kendall is just a bummer and having her represent your brand at this point is just not good PR, she is a sneering brat and I don’t want to wear anything she’s representing.
Also as far as only athletes representing… I don’t know… I’m not an athlete by any stretch but I still like some leisure wear for when I’m being active. So I’m cool with seeing others who aren’t athletes representing the active wear and leisure wear. Most people who buy this gear are not true athletes just average people who want to be active and comfy.
Superga fan forever.
Yes to Superga! Super comfy and super fashionable. Also Adidas does not have its roots in Hip Hop. It’s a German brand that has been around since seemingly forever. If I remember correctly aren’t the creators of Adidas and Puma are brothers.
Yes. Adidas and Puma were founded by the Dassler brothers, 2 German men who joined the Nazi party and supported the Hitlerian youths with their sport apparel, for profit. Many German people got in the Nazi party back then as a way to avoid problems more than because they shared their political views but anyway… talk about having “hip-hop roots” (even though Adolf Dassler did gifted a pair of his shoes to Jess Owens in 1936).
Adidas is cool with the kids, whether they’re wearing it for athletics or not. I’m sure this will make it blow up even more. Smart move
In the first picture it looks like the cushions are stained with pee and she’s hiding her head in shame…
Switching to Puma. Adidas has Kendall, Kylie, and Kanye. Smh.
I wouldn’t pay money for these endorsed athletic shoes
It depends on what you’re looking for. I only wear sport brands when I’m working out lifting weights or running. So I’d rather look at what Serena Williams and Misty promote and wear. I don’t look for style, I look for comfort, compression, adaptability and support.
I used to be a Nike girl for a long time but now I mix it up. My favourite leggings, whether short or long, are Underarmour. I wear PUMA bras and then whichever shirt has a nice fit and is comfortable to work out in. However, I recently purchased Adidas shoes specifically for training (not running) and they are AMAZING. My work outs are better because of them, I am amazed. So I went back and purchased running shoes, and they’re awesome as well, much better than any Nike I had.
Hm Adidas Originals is mainly Sneakers I think (not particularly for sports). Here in Germany Adidas is HUGE but Kylie… Not that much?
Less likely. Don’t want to look like those trash bags thanks. That Snapchat pic! She looks like a vinyl sex doll … No thanks
Agreed!
This won’t hurt or help Adidas. The brand is already super popular. It’s not just for athletes to wear. I don’t think the company really needed Kylie but whatever.
The Adidas Ultra Boost line of sneakers is HUGE, especially amongst sneakerheads.
Nike is still #1 for me – I had to go on Ebay to get their sold-out Nigerian World Cup jersey for everyone in my family. I hope the Nigerian designer who created it is doing more work for them!
I practically live in my Adidas sneakers, no joke I wear them every single day that’s i need to switch it up. Ironically I wear mostly Nike for working out and sports. But meh I live one berlin and athleisure is huge, Kylie tho not really.
I don’t hate it, but I understand the reason of getting a celeb to represent the brand rather than an athlete.
Oh great! I just bought an Adidas duffel for my flight, but hearing these wonderful news the first thing for me to do today is to go return it. There’s no way I’ll buy anything associated to these people.
They’re like the undead. Never going away.
I know it’s the Eastern European stereotype, but Adidas has been worn by everyone here ever since I can remember. It’s not really an only athletes brand.
I for the most part don’t get sponsorships at all. A celebrity never made me want to buy anything. Even the celebrities I like.
Years ago, when I was a kid in Venezuela (and Vzla was still a semi-stable democracy *sob, sniff*), Adidas was all anyone wore. Those were the days before Nike, Reebok and designer athletic apparel, and “Adidas” meant “blue or black sneakers with three white stripes on the shoe sides, or red sneakers with white stripes if you were bold.” It still shocks me slightly when I see all the new Adidas designs.
And in Vzla and throughout Latin America, ADIDAS stood for “Asociacion De Idiotas Dispuestos A Superarse.” Association of Idiots determined to better themselves. Heh.
Just this hour grabbed another pair of adidas originals online. My favourite shoe. Don’t get this pairing. I am no Kendall fan, but she can deadeye pull off the old school 70’s adidas look I guess. There would be better people obviously. Kylie I am not sure what she brings.