Adidas is a leading retailer in the RetailX Global Elite Top1000 ranking, as well as being one of the most misspelt brands in the fashion sector.
Its ‘Own the Game’ marketing strategy, as published in 2021, saw the brand setting out to strengthen its credibility as a sports and lifestyle brand. At the time, it expected football, running, training, outdoor and lifestyle to contribute more than 95% of its sales growth as well as increased market share. Unique customer experiences and sustainability were also cited as pillars for future growth.
A large part of adidas’ success was expected to come from building direct relationships with its target audience as it evolved its direct-to-consumer business.
The brand reported 3% year-on-year growth of its DTC business for the full year 2023. Its own retail stores managed double-digit growth of 12% in all markets except North America, while ecommerce was down by 5% against the previous year.
The lesser-than-expected growth in its online business was reported as being due to “the Yeezy impact,” its cancelled collaboration with Kanye West.
Total revenue for the full year of 2024 was up 12%. This was a year which gave adidas the opportunity to showcase its brand at such sporting events as the Olympics, Paralympics and Euro 24.
“We still have a lot to improve but I am very proud of what our teams and people have achieved in 2024,” Bjørn Gulden, CEO, adidas, said in January 2025. “We also feel good about the future, and we see potential to increase our market share in all markets. There is a lot of macroeconomic uncertainty right now, but we clearly have the goal to again grow double-digit with the adidas brand and use that to continue to improve our operating profit and make further progress towards our 10% margin target.”
In 2024, an advert for floral by adidas featuring vividly printed garments and footwear went viral. What should have been a win for the brand in terms of sales made the brand one of the most talked about for another reason. The advert was generated by AI, not by adidas, and the range doesn’t exist.
This is one case study featured in the new white paper Leveraging AI and search to get ahead in a saturated market, in association with Semrush. Launched at Shoptalk 2025, the white paper investigates the critical intersection of artificial intelligence and search within the evolving retail landscape.
It highlights the increasing challenge for retailers to gain visibility amidst a saturated digital market and shifting consumer behaviours. By presenting expert analysis, new survey data on consumer interaction with AI and search for product discovery, and company profiles of leading retailers, the white paper aims to equip senior executives with actionable insights. It is designed to guide businesses on how to leverage AI and search to achieve differentiation, drive efficiency, and foster sustainable growth in 2025 and beyond.
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