Adidas HISTORY - presentation

Good morning ladies and gentlemen! It’s really an honour to have the opportunity to address such a distinguished audience. My name is XXX, I’m the Production Coordinator of Adidas-Salomon for Middle Europe region and the subject of my presentation today will be a specific overview on ADIDAS. I suppose everyone knows what kind of position this brand globally has but only a few of us are really sophisticated when talking about development and progress of the company its self. This talk is designed to update you on history or better said a time line of adidas. I plan to be brief so it should only take approximately 15 min. of your time.
As far as I am concerned, we can break this area down into the following fields: firstly we will capture important facts about the history and the „father“ of adidas as well, then we are going to discuss products of adidas and finally I will focus on success connected with this worldwide-well known brand describing you a couple of statistic charts. Certainly, I’d be glad to answer any of your questions at the end of my talk.
Ok, let’s start with the first point – the history of adidas. The whole saga begins after the WW1 in 1920 when Adi (Adolf) Dassler, the baker, shoe manufacturer, sportsman and entrepreneur who was born in November the third 1900 and known as „a good human being“, produces his first hand-made training shoes in his mother’s 20sqm washroom without electricity. For those who don’t know it was the following of his dreams to make sport shoes. After an extremely short period of time - in 1924, 12 people including the family members produce about 50 pairs of shoes daily and Adi Dassler and his brother decide to register their company under their name „Dassler Brothers OHG“. After 3 years Adi and Rudi Dassler lease their first production facility and call it „Dassler Brothers Sport Shoe Factory. By the way 25 people produce 100 pairs of shoes a day. In the same year Adi buys the factory he had been leasing up until then, together with the small house and adjoining plot of land. The first “outspread” of the brand comes in 1928 when Dassler shoes are worn at the Olympic Games in Amsterdam for the first time. Soon after that tennis shoes are also introduced in to the market. In 1936, some of you may remember, Jesse Owens wins four gold medals at the Berlin Olympic Games wearing Dassler shoes. As the most successful athlete in Berlin, he sets new world records in almost all of the 12 events in which he competes.

At the same time Adi’s son Horst is born. Two years later Adi buys his second production facility in the centre of Herzogenaurach. In 1948 because the relationship between the two brothers becomes to go wrong, they decide to go their own separate ways. Rudolf founds Puma while Rudy founds Adidas. So Adi registers the famous Three Stripes as his company’s trademark, originally developed as a means of stabilizing mid foot and adidas becomes the official company name. The year 1952 really comes down to history of the company and the world of sport as well when Emil Zatopek wins three gold medals in one weak definitely wearing adidas shoes. He triumphs in the 5,000m, in the 10,000m and in the marathon – an achievement that has not been repeated since. Meanwhile, his wife wins the javelin competition. Apart from another big „steps in development“ of the company, we now come to the year 1959. Establishing and building up production facilities was the first major task entrusted to Horst, the 22 year-old son of Adi and Kathe. In addition to that, the second German adidas factory is opened in Scheinfeld. In 1960 adidas is the dominating brand at the Olympic Games in Rome – 75 percent of all track & field athletes rely on adidas shoes! Therefore exactly one year later adidas starts production of apparel and balls and first adidas track suits with Three Stripes. Ladies and gentlemen, in 1972 the „Trefoil Logo“ is introduced. The three leaves symbolize the Olympic spirit, linking the three continental plates. In the same year, adidas becomes official supplier of the Munich Olympic Games. In 1974 adidas shoes are worn by 80 percent of players and Germany becomes World Champion again at the Football World Cup in Germany wearing adidas boots. As a result the company manages to reinforce also its winter sport activities. But in 1978 Adi Dassler passes away at the age 78 due to heart failure. His widow Kathe Dassler continues operating the company and Adi’s personal authority earned him the name „The Chief“, an honorary title that has not been used again at adidas since his death. Adidas now produces 45 million pairs of shoes per year. In passing, Horst Dassler founds „International Sports, Culture and Leisure (ISL)“, the first worldwide marketing company dedicated to sport events. In 1984 Kathe Dassler passes away, leaving the company to her son Horst, who receives the highest Olympic decoration.

However, Hort dies at the age of only 51 in 1987 so he is not able to finish the global restructuring of his company. Adidas is slowly steering towards troubled waters. In 1990, when Germany becomes Football world Champions, of course equipped by adidas, the company becomes a corporation, but retains its family ownership. When Bernard Taple purchases 80 percent of adidas stock, it marks as the end of adidas as a family owned company. But in 1994 trendsetters like Madonna become to wear classic sports shoes and apparel of the 1970’s. Also the leadership of Robert Louis Dreyfus accelerates deep changes throughout the company and, dear ladies and gentlemen, the „Predatorâ“ shoe is introduced. It sets the new standards in the football world. It will be an honour to show you the magnificent shoe before we come to the end. Due to this and few other events adidas reports a clear upward trend in sales and profit. Especially the year 1996 – called the „big year“ is important. Six years after the family-owned company was transformed into a corporation, adidas goes to public, similarly being listed on the Frankfurt and Paris Stock Exchanges. By the way adidas has chosen the same year to celebrate past successes and triumphs still to come – symbolized by the concept „We knew then, we know now“. In unison a new logo, which stands for the performance and future of the brand is launched (slide). At the Olympic Games in Atlanta (1996) adidas equips 6,000 participants from 33 nations and supplies products for 21 out of the 26 sports. As a rule no other brand has been so closely associated with so many athletes in so many sports over so many years like adidas. A new generation of adidas athletes symbolizes the innovative technologies and contemporary design of adidas products. For the past few years, adidas has entered the future with an extensive communication campaign and together with young top athletes – basketball superstar Kobe Bryant, tennis player Anna Kournikova, football player David Beckham. Six years ago, adidas announces the acquisition of the French Salomon Group, the worldwide leading producer of winter sports equipment. The newly formed group is named Adidas – Salomon AG and to sum up the situation Robert Louis Dreyfus is announced as the „Manager of the Year“ by the Manager Magazine. In the year 1999 the company opens its new Headquarter offices in World of Sports in Herzogenaurach. In 2000 adidas becomes the official supplier and licensee of the European Soccer Championship in Holland and Belgium and outfits European Champion France.

In the same way the company underlines its competence as an Olympic brand – it is represented in 26 of 28 sports and outfits more than 3,000 athletes! In the Full Body Suit, Ian Thorpe wins three gold medals and sets four world records becoming the star of the Sydney Olympics.
So I would suggest that we have covered all I wanted to say today. As you can see there are some very good reasons to trust this brand. From now on I’d be glad to try and answer any of your questions please ….