Iris Case Studies Reviving History: adidas and ESPN's Innovative Approach to Celebrate Shared Legacy

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	Reviving History: adidas and ESPN's Innovative Approach to Celebrate Shared Legacy Iris

Reviving History: adidas and ESPN's Innovative Approach to Celebrate Shared Legacy

Iris

Applicable Industries	Packaging
Use Cases	Time Sensitive Networking
Challenge	adidas and ESPN wanted to celebrate their shared history in a unique and engaging way that would appeal to both young and old fans. They aimed to launch the adidas Top Ten Hi ESPN 1979, a limited-edition sneaker that was a collaboration between ESPN SportCenter’s Top Ten and adidas’ Top Ten basketball shoe. The challenge was to create a marketing strategy that would not only drive awareness but also create a memorable unboxing experience for the customers. The strategy needed to be disruptive and innovative, capturing the essence of the two brands' shared history and the 1979-inspired design of the shoe. Read More
About Customer	The customer in this case study is adidas, a multinational corporation that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing, and accessories. adidas is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second-largest in the world. The company wanted to celebrate its shared history with ESPN, a U.S.-based global cable and satellite sports television channel, in a unique and engaging way. The target audience for the campaign was the fans of both brands, ranging from young sneakerheads to older sports enthusiasts who would appreciate the nostalgia of the 1979-inspired design. Read More
Solution	To create a unique unboxing experience, custom packaging was designed to resemble a TV set from the late 70s. The sneakers were placed on a replica of the original SportsCenter studio set, and upon opening the box, customers were greeted with the iconic ESPN SportsCenter Top Ten soundtrack. The shoes themselves were heavily influenced by the first SportsCentre episode, featuring a cream faux snakeskin colorway and embellished gold lace charms. Along with the shoes, an aged user manual was created to provide further insight into the story of the two brands. To drive awareness, the first pair of these special-edition sneakers was sent to the unboxing king, Jacques Slade, who delivered his official review of the collaboration from the original ESPN SportsCenter desk. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Applicable Industries

Packaging

Use Cases

Time Sensitive Networking

Challenge

adidas and ESPN wanted to celebrate their shared history in a unique and engaging way that would appeal to both young and old fans. They aimed to launch the adidas Top Ten Hi ESPN 1979, a limited-edition sneaker that was a collaboration between ESPN SportCenter’s Top Ten and adidas’ Top Ten basketball shoe. The challenge was to create a marketing strategy that would not only drive awareness but also create a memorable unboxing experience for the customers. The strategy needed to be disruptive and innovative, capturing the essence of the two brands' shared history and the 1979-inspired design of the shoe.

About Customer

The customer in this case study is adidas, a multinational corporation that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing, and accessories. adidas is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second-largest in the world. The company wanted to celebrate its shared history with ESPN, a U.S.-based global cable and satellite sports television channel, in a unique and engaging way. The target audience for the campaign was the fans of both brands, ranging from young sneakerheads to older sports enthusiasts who would appreciate the nostalgia of the 1979-inspired design.

Solution

To create a unique unboxing experience, custom packaging was designed to resemble a TV set from the late 70s. The sneakers were placed on a replica of the original SportsCenter studio set, and upon opening the box, customers were greeted with the iconic ESPN SportsCenter Top Ten soundtrack. The shoes themselves were heavily influenced by the first SportsCentre episode, featuring a cream faux snakeskin colorway and embellished gold lace charms. Along with the shoes, an aged user manual was created to provide further insight into the story of the two brands. To drive awareness, the first pair of these special-edition sneakers was sent to the unboxing king, Jacques Slade, who delivered his official review of the collaboration from the original ESPN SportsCenter desk.

Impact #1	The collaboration between adidas and ESPN resulted in a unique product that successfully celebrated the shared history of the two brands. The innovative approach to packaging and unboxing created a memorable experience for customers, transporting them back in time to the genesis of the two sports icons. The strategy of sending the first pair to Jacques Slade for an unboxing video was a successful move, generating buzz and driving awareness about the product. The campaign was a testament to the power of innovative marketing strategies in creating excitement and driving sales.

Impact #1

The collaboration between adidas and ESPN resulted in a unique product that successfully celebrated the shared history of the two brands. The innovative approach to packaging and unboxing created a memorable experience for customers, transporting them back in time to the genesis of the two sports icons. The strategy of sending the first pair to Jacques Slade for an unboxing video was a successful move, generating buzz and driving awareness about the product. The campaign was a testament to the power of innovative marketing strategies in creating excitement and driving sales.

Benefit #1	The shoe had a rapid 100% sell-out, indicating high demand and successful marketing.
Benefit #2	The unboxing video by Jacques Slade, a popular figure in the sneaker community, helped reach a wide audience.
Benefit #3	The unique packaging and unboxing experience created a buzz in the sneaker community, driving further interest in the product.

Benefit #1

The shoe had a rapid 100% sell-out, indicating high demand and successful marketing.

Benefit #2

The unboxing video by Jacques Slade, a popular figure in the sneaker community, helped reach a wide audience.

Benefit #3

The unique packaging and unboxing experience created a buzz in the sneaker community, driving further interest in the product.

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Overview

Reviving History: adidas and ESPN's Innovative Approach to Celebrate Shared Legacy

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit