Adidas Marketing Mix (4Ps) Analysis

Introduction

Adidas is one of the world's leading sports brands that require no introduction. The brand's first pair of shoes dates to 1920 in Herzogenaurach, Germany. Back then, Adi Dassler, the founding father, made the groundbreaking innovation in his mother's laundry room. He later partnered with his older brother Rudolf (Rudi) to establish the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory (Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik). Despite initial challenges and a breakup with Rudi (who later invented PUMA), Adi Dassler made a comeback in August 1949 with approximately 47 employees.

Over a century later, Adidas has made significant contributions to fashion and sport. Whether running, football or training, Adidas is where innovation meets inspiration through iconic footwear designs and sportswear lines. Today, with its headquarters in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the brand is famous for sports performance, social activism, revolutionary products, and unrivaled marketing strategies. With a global workforce of over 60,000 people, Adidas has established defining standards and processes destined to meet the company's aspirations.

One rewarding approach is incorporating the marketing mix that combines the four Ps: product, price, promotion, and Place. A marketing mix is a tool used to make customers aware of a product and its advantages over others in the market.

This piece explores Adidas' defining marketing mix that helps automate sales and growth. As a result, novice entrepreneurs should apply the same tactics to stand out in the crowd.

Product

Adidas boasts a diverse portfolio of high-quality products ranging from sports equipment and shoes to apparel, watches, eyewear, and many more. Focusing on its strengths in soccer gear and training wear, Adidas has attracted legions of fans, especially young people.

With sustainability becoming crucial for investors, Adidas took a leading position by introducing more than 60% recycled polyester products in the market in 2021. Most impressive, the brand strives to evolve to recycled polyester from 2024 wholly. Some of the recent best selling Adidas innovations are:

Adidas Ultraboost

Introduced in the market in March 2015, these energy-returning cushioning sneakers provide matchless comfort and performance. Take into account that Adidas used the ARAMIS motion capture technology first implemented by NASA in testing the structural status of space shuttles.

Encased in a sleek running sneaker silhouette, the Ultraboost is available in multiple colors. They also feature a midfoot cage support system/ turbo assistance that activates upon landing on the ground. This reduces forefoot and heel strike forces, further helping with impact energy distribution.

Adidas Stan Smith

The Stan Smith is a modern street-smart sneaker that turns heads, featuring a vintage look. In other terms, it is the epitome of Adidas Originals style. They're also incredibly lightweight and comfortable for all-day wear, with a leather lining and soft textile upper, rubber outsole, and toe cap. This iconic tennis shoe has been around since 1971 and offers a sporty look so popular that it became the official tennis shoe of the time.

Enhancing this retro look is a clean white canvas upper with three stripes on both sides and an Adidas badge on the tongue.

Adidas MD R1 Sneakers

Inspired by the simplicity of training shoes and engineered for the demands of daily life, the MD R1 Sneaker is a must-have. The shoe has a breathable upper with a back pull-tab for easy on and off.

A molded sock liner provides step-in comfort, while the emerging Boost cushioning technology in the midsole offers maximum energy return with every step. The midsole made of TORSION® SYSTEM-equipped rubber provides flexible cushioning and plush comfort. Likewise, the gum rubber outsole offers durable traction.

Adidas Adilette Comfort Slides

Never sacrifice comfort for fashion with the Adidas Comfort Slide on your feet. The updated Adilette design made of a lightweight EVA material features a variety of colors, including animal prints and swirls. Clean leather upper with textured design adds style, and one size fits most design makes them comfortable for any foot size.

Adidas Tiro 19 Training Pants

Get ready for kickoff in these men's soccer pants, featuring an all-over camouflage print. Specially made of climalite® fabric that wicks sweat away to help keep you dry. Stretchy mesh inserts at the sides with ventilation holes offer extra comfort and breathability where you need it most. They're built with an elastic waistband for a secure fit and have the 3-Stripes® logo on the left leg.

Pricing

Adidas thrives through skimming and competitive pricing strategies to remain afloat in the current cutthroat market scene. The firm sets a high and steep price in the skimming pricing strategy. This approach is most successful for the short term if there are substantial barriers to entry or when demand is relatively inelastic. In most cases, Adidas uses a skimming strategy when launching a more superior to what main competitors like Puma and Nike offer.

On the other, the competitive pricing strategy revolves around prices set by nearest rivals. All in all, Adidas target affluent clients who value optimum quality. It is worth pointing out that the elevated prices assure superior quality only associated with the brand. Unfortunately, such exorbitant price tags can be out of reach for most people.

However, even with cheaper imitations flooding the market, the impact does not affect the company's sales. After all, the high-end target audience remains loyal, thanks to Adidas's incomparable status and quality.

Promotion

It has become extremely tough to market a product that shares similar features with others in the current competitive environment. For this reason, companies must get out of the box and move an inch higher in convincing customers to pick their products over others.

Adidas never disappoints in its promotion strategies, and some of the well-known methods used include magazines, television ads, and billboards. With the emergence of social media, Adidas puts more athletes in the top races and on the biggest stages than any other sports brand. It's an impressive roster that includes multitudes of the world's best footballers in clubs ranging from AC Milan and Bella Vista to Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. Additionally, they sponsor the world's best golfers, tennis players, plus legendary athletes like Usain Bolt, Candace Parker, and David Beckham.

Place

Placing products in the market is a necessary process of any marketing mix. Currently, Adidas serves athletes in more than 170 countries and territories around the globe, both offline and online. Online shoppers can take advantage of exciting Adidas offers at Myntra, Flipkart, or Amazon.

Likewise, customers can peruse the official website for available products. The positive aspect of this approach is that customers enjoy a unique personalized service never experienced before.

Mind map

The advantage of using a mind map in this analysis is that you can visualize the four aspects of the Adidas marketing mix and relate to them better. Remember, mind maps have the potential to change the way we learn and communicate forever.

The following mind map depicts the importance of marketing mix without the distraction of insignificant details. In short, you focus on the significant points of your discussion, thus enhancing the quality of the presentation too.

Takeaways

Even if Adidas has only used the highest-quality materials to craft the best possible products, a discerning marketing mix plays a significant role in brand success. For this reason, a recent turnover of approximately $24.70 B showcases a giant brand that has taken more than a fashion jump. It is with this optimistic spirit and strategies that Adidas constantly challenges its competitors and remains a force to reckon with in recent times.

Adidas Inc's report details the broad analysis of the brand's marketing mix. The report mentions the relevance of the price, place promotion, and price elements. Furthermore, the report displays a mind plan of how these basics get integrated with the marketing strategies.

Download the PDF Report

It is also of assistance to systematize the above document through the reliable PDF mapping software. The advantage of PDF Agile software is its user-friendliness and affordability to essential PDF needs in a natural manner. Moreover, it has a comprehensible interface suitable for apprentices as well.