adidas history

Step back in time 1

Adi Dassler had a dream to make the best sport shoes possible.

Explore through the decades - from the birth of a brand to how it came to lead the world of modern sports.

1920s

1920s adidas shoe 1927 Short-distances-spikes, D.R.P. (Deutsches Reichs-Patent), designed 1927 in cooperation with Jo Waitzer (German Reichstrainer) for Olympic Games 1928 in Amsterdam.

Three Guiding Principles 1920 Adi Dassler followed three guiding principles in his development work, driven by his passion for sports and shoemaking: To produce the best shoe to serve the needs of the sport. To protect the athlete from injury, and to make the product durable.

The First Sports Shoes 1920 Adi Dassler hires 2 shoemakers and produces his first handmade training shoes. The story begins in his mother’s washroom, a space of around 200 square foot, with no electricity and no machinery. All the shoes he produces are hand-made leather shoes. He very soon begins to create different shoes for different sports.

A Designer and a Salesman 1924 At the age of 23, Adi convinces his brother Rudolf to join the business. On July 1st 1924, they register their small enterprise as Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory, Herzogenaurach. The brothers opposing personalities complement each other well: Adi the quiet, pensive designer, and Rudolf the extrovert salesman.

Dassler Brothers OHG 1924 Before long there are 12 people, including several family members, producing around 50 pairs of shoes a day.

The First Specialist Shoes 1925 Adi Dassler develops Track; Field shoes with hand-forged spikes and produces his first football boots with nailed studs.

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The First Factory 1927 Adi and Rudi Dassler rent their first premises and call it the “Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory” (“Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik”). 25 people are now producing 100 pairs of shoes a day.

Dasslers Olympic Debut 1928 Dassler’s spikes D.R.P. (Deutsches Reichs-Patent) designed in cooperation with Josef Waitzer (German Reichstrainer) make their debut at the Amsterdam Olympic Games. Adi works closely with professional athletes to optimize the quality of the shoes and provide the best possible support for “his” athletes in Amsterdam.

The First Football Boot 1929 Adi Dassler produces his first football boots, with leather outsoles and studs combined with a “nail-stripe trim”.

1930s

1930s adidas shoe 1932 German athlete Arthur Jonath wins the 100m bronze medal at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, wearing Dassler shoes. This marks the first major Olympic success for the Dassler brothers and fuels the further development of their already thriving company.

The Villa 1931 Seemingly unaffected by the economic depression, the Dassler brothers continue their upward trajectory of success. The development is rapid. Having moved out of their mother’s washroom for lack of space, the brothers now buy the factory they had so far only been able to rent. In 1931, they commission the construction of a three-storey house - later named “The Villa” - behind the factory.

First Tennis shoes 1931 Adi Dassler produces his first tennis shoes.

International Sports 1932 German athlete Arthur Jonath wins the 100m bronze medal at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, wearing Dassler shoes. This marks the first major Olympic success for the Dassler brothers and fuels the further development of their already thriving company.

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Adi meets his Future Wife 1932 Adi Dassler joins the shoe college in Pirinasens and meets Katharina (Käthe), the daughter of the shoe designer Franz Mertz, with whom together with Adi developed a new sensational Track and Field shoe. A romance develops between them and Adi proposes to Käthe a couple of months later. They marry on March 17th, 1934, and a few years later their children Horst, Inge and Karin are born. Two more daughters Brigitte and Sigrid follow several years later, whilst World War II is raging. In order to provide food for the family, Käthe turns the yard into vegetable garden and runs a small menagerie of farm animals.

Käthe is far from being merely a “good housewife”. After the war ends, she is actively involved in the company’s business and makes an important contribution to the upswing of adidas. Whilst her husband develops the company on a creative and philosophical level, Käthe acts as its general manager.

adidas - Onwards and Upwards 1935 In 1935, the company’s revenues exceed 400,000 Reichsmark. The majority of German athletes are now wearing Dassler shoes. As every year Adi Dassler challenges friendly companies in a sports competition.

adidas at the Olympics 1936 At the Berlin Olympic Games in 1936, athlete Jesse Owens wins four gold medals and sets five new world records, wearing Dassler shoes for all events.

Adi’s first son 1936 Adi and Käthe are proud parents of their first son. Horst is born.

An Expanding Range 1937 Adi Dassler develops sports shoes in co-operation with the Olympic Committee, striving to fulfil the specific requirements of different sports disciplines. By 1937, Dassler’s range comprises 30 different shoes for a total of eleven sports. Including the 4 wheel roller skates.

A Second Factory 1938 Adi Dassler buys his second factory in the centre of Herzogenaurach. By that time, the company produces 1,000 pairs of shoes a day.

1940s

1940s adidas shoe 1946

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A multi purpose shoe produced 1946 after World War II, using materials from the American Army - tent fabric and leather from baseball gloves for the upper, warplane fuel tanks for the sole.

The Army Seize The Villa 1945 At the end of the war, the American army seizes the “Villa” for their officers and contract the factory to produce 1,000 pairs of ice hockey boots per month.

The factory is held in trusteeship until 1947. As compensation for the ice hockey boots, the factory receives old army stocks, such as tents, old baseball gloves etc. Thanks to his rich imagination, Adi is able to find ways of producing a remarkably high quality of training shoe.

New Beginnings 1947 After the turmoil of the Second World War, Adi made a fresh start. In 1947, with 47 workers, he began putting into practice knowledge gained in the pre-war period, as well as new ideas.

Three Stripes 1948 Adi and Rudolf Dassler decide to go their separate ways and Rudolf founds Puma. Adi introduces adidas as the official company name, made from a combination of his own nickname and last names. At this point, Adi also gives his shoes the unmistakable trademark of the Three Stripes.

New Football Boots 1949 The Three Stripes are officially registered as the adidas trademark. Adi Dassler focuses his efforts on new football boots and produces his first boots with adjustable, moulded, rubber studs.

1950s

1950s adidas shoe 1954 The first low-cut, soft, lightweight football boot of history with nylon screw-in-studs - exclusively designed for the German World Champion team for the World Cup 1954 in Switzerland, worn by Max Morlock.

Samba on Ice 1950 Adi Dassler focuses his efforts on the development of new football boots. The first of the “Samba” all-round football boots are launched on the market. This boot is made for better traction on ice, snow and frozen ground.

Step back in time 5

The Olympics in Helsinki 1952 adidas is the most widely worn German sports shoe brand at the Olympic Games in Helsinki and track shoes with removable spikes are used for the first time. Emil Zatopek wins three gold medals – for the 5,000m, the 10,000m and the marathon - all in one week, wearing adidas shoes. This is an achievement that has not been repeated since.

Changeable Spikes 1952 For the first time, adidas produces track shoes with changeable spikes and the first adidas sports bags are introduced.

Adi at the World Cup 1954 The German football team wins the World Cup for the first time, wearing boots with revolutionary screw-in studs. Adi is at the game in Berne; at half time he adapts the players’ boots to the ground conditions, using the studs. This boot is later called “World Champion”.

adidas Continue to Grow 1954 In 1954, a total of 450,000 pairs of shoes are produced.

Modern Sports Promotion 1956 Horst Dassler promotes adidas at the Melbourne Olympic Games - the beginning of modern sports promotion. Three quarters of all medallists at the Melbourne Olympic Games wear shoes with the Three Stripes. This marks the beginning of Horst’s diplomatic career in sports.

Kangaroo Leather 1957 Adi Dassler develops the revolutionary idea of polyamide soles for football boots and uses kangaroo leather for uppers. He develops the first “air sole” in history and the first polyamide half-sole for track shoes.

Nylon Half-Soles 1957 The first nylon half-soles for sprint shoes are developed in 1957.

Horst Opens a new Factory 1959 Establishing and building a factory in France was the first major task entrusted to Horst, the 22 year-old son of Adi and Käthe. Adi opens the second German adidas factory in Scheinfeld.

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1960s

1960s adidas shoe 1960 Short-distances-spikes, worn by Wilma Rudolph (“Black Gazelle”), winner of three Gold Medals during the Olympic Games 1960 in Rom - 100m/ 200m/ 4 x 100m. Wilma suffered from Polio as a child, and it was thought she would never walk.

Olympic Games in Rome 1960 adidas is the dominant brand at the Olympic Games in Rome: 75 percent of all track and field athletes rely on adidas shoes. Wilma Rudolph, who suffered from polio as a child, takes the gold in the 100 m and 200 m and in the 4x100 m relay.

The “Italia” Shoe 1960 To mark the Olympic Games, “Italia” training shoe is launched. Today, this classic shoe is one of the top trends and is being produced again in small quantities.

Adebe Bikila Wins 1960 The Olympic marathons in Rome where he ran with bare-feet and Tokyo in adidas shoes, are dominated by then newcomer and today’s long-distance legend, Ethiopian Adebe Bikila.

adidas Clothing and Balls 1961 From the mid 1960s, adidas starts producing sports clothing for competitions and training. Ball production begins in 1963, and since 1970 the Official Matchball at all major football events has been an adidas ball.

Football in Chile 1962 adidas boots dominate the Football World Cup in Chile. They are worn in all 32 games.

Three Stripes on Clothing 1962 adidas offers the first track suits with the Three Stripes to the market.

Olympic Games in Tokyo 1964 At the Olympic Games in Tokyo 80 percent of athletes wear shoes with the Three Stripes. Willi Holdorf becomes the first German to win the gold medal in the decathlon. Dassler creates a running shoe for Adebe Bikila, pushing his weight forward to correct his running style.

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Lightest Shoe Ever Made 1964 adidas presents the lightest track shoe ever made. The “Tokio 64” weighs just 135 grams per shoe.

The Mexico Olympics 1968 At the Mexico Olympic Games, 85 percent of Track and Field athletes compete in adidas shoes. Dick Fosbury clears 2.24 m with a new high jump technique, later termed “The Fosbury flop” which revolutionised the sport of high jump, and takes the gold medal. Bob Beamon breaks the long jump world record by 61cm.

Athletes wearing adidas products win 37 gold medals, 35 silver medals and 35 bronze medals.

Multi-Studded Soles 1968 adidas is the first company in the world to produce injection-moulded multi-stud soles of polyurethane, giving a one-year guarantee on the sole. The first jogging shoe, “Achille”, are introduced to the market.

1970s

1970s adidas shoe 1972 Extremely lightweight and soft football boot, designed for Franz Beckenbauer for the European Championship 1972. Very stylish patent-leather-boot, “worn until it fell apart”.

The Official Football 1970 For the first time, an adidas ball, “Telstar”, is used as the official ball at the Football World Cup, in Mexico. Right up until the present day, all goals at major football events are scored with adidas balls.

The Fight of the Century 1971 Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier face each other in the “Fight of the Century”. Both wear special boxing boots developed by Adi Dassler.

European Football The German team wins the European Football Championship in adidas boots.

The Munich Games The Olympic Games in Munich becomes another highlight in the history of adidas. For the first time, adidas is official sponsor of the Olympic Games. 78 percent of athletes compete in adidas shoes. adidas track and field athletes win 35 gold medals, 37 silver medals and 35 bronze medals. Ulrike Meyfarth wins her first

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Olympic gold in the high jump aged only 16 . She went on to repeat this Olympic victory in 1984.

The “Adilette” 1972 The “Adilette” is introduced, still one of the classics in the adidas range today.

The “Trefoil Logo” 1972 The “Trefoil Logo” is introduced. The three leaves where an additional trademark to distinguish between authentic and imitation adidas.

The Shark in the Shoe 1972 adidas develops sprint-shoes using a combination of sharkskin and polyamide half-soles for better traction.

German Football Success 1974 Following on the European Championship title, the German team wins the World Cup again. adidas boots are worn by 80 percent of players in the Cup.

Tennis Rackets 1974 The first adidas tennis rackets are launched.

Adi in the Hall of Fame 1975 Adi Dassler is the first non-American to be inducted into the Hall of Fame of the National Sporting Goods Association, and the 43rd member overall.

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Olympics in Montreal 1976 83 percent of participants at the Montreal Olympic Games rely on adidas shoes and clothing. They win 75 gold medals, 86 silver medals and 88 bronze medals. Edwin Moses wins gold in the 400 m and 800 m. Alberto Juantorena, known as “The Horse”, becomes the first athlete to win gold in both the 400m and the 800m runs, using a newly introduced adidas “adjustable spike system”, called the “Vario system”, a combination of exchangeable plastic and metal elements.

Jogging and Ski-ing 1976 The “TRX” jogging shoe is introduced. adidas also sets the pace in the winter sports sector, with newly developed X-country ski bindings.

Horst Leads adidas 1976 Horst Dassler capitalizes on the opportunities offered by sports promotion and under his guidance, adidas became a global leader in the sector of innovations in sports marketing. He is also responsible for establishing the brand in France. adidas are now producing 45 million pairs of shoes per year.

“Tango” at the World Cup 1978 All goals at the Football World Cup in Argentina are scored with the “Tango”, the official matchball.

Adi Dassler Passes Away 1978 Adi Dassler passes away at the age of 78, following heart failure. His widow Käthe and son Horst take charge of running the company.

Adi Dassler’s heritage - his ideas, his name and the developments he initiated - will continue to help athletes push the limits of performance, on into the new millennium.

1980s

1980s adidas shoe 1984 A high jump shoe, designed for Ulrike (Nasse)-Meyfarth for the Olympic Games 1984 in Los Angeles. 1972 at the age of only sixteen Ulrike won her first gold medal in Munich, 1984 the second gold medal in L.A.

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Germany Wins Again 1980 The German team wins the European Football Championship for the second time, dressed from head to toe in adidas.

Olympic Games in Moscow 1980 At the Moscow Olympic Games, more than 80 percent of athletes wear adidas and win a total of 170 medals. Daley Thompson wins the Decathlon using equipment by adidas.

The “Copa Mundial” 1982 The “Copa Mundial” is launched, eventually to become the world’s best-selling football boot ever.

“ISL is Founded” year 1983 Horst Dassler founds “International Sports, Culture and Leisure” (“ISL”, the first worldwide marketing company dedicated to sports events).

Olympic Games in USA 1984 At the Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles, 124 out of 140 nations compete in adidas. 259 medals are won in products with the Three Stripes. Ulrike Meyfarth wins her second Olympic gold medal (after 1972) in the high jump. At the Olympic Games in Los Angeles, 124 nations are equipped with adidas products. Edwin Moses takes gold in the 400m hurdles run for the second time, having won the event in 1976.

Käthe Dassler Passes Away 1984 Käthe Dassler passes away, having proved her leadership skills through running the company since Adi’s death in 1978, assisted by her son-in-law Alf Bente. Käthe leaves the company to her son Horst.

Horst receives Award 1984 Horst Dassler receives the highest Olympic decoration.

Marathon Training Shoe 1984 A running shoe with “Micro Pacer” computer inside is introduced. The “Marathon Training” running shoe is awarded a “very good” rating by Stiftung Warentest, the independent German consumer testing institute.


Basketball Championships 1985 Eleven out of twelve teams at the European Basketball Championships put their trust in the Three Stripes.

Horst initiates Change 1985 Following the death of his mother, Horst Dassler assumes the leadership of adidas. By this time, he is already the most influential personality in the world of sport. Based on analyses by a well-known management consulting firm, Horst instigates the transformation of the company.

He takes increasing levels of responsibility within the headquarters in Herzogenaurach. Horst quickly realizes that adidas will only withstand growing competition if they introduce a fundamentally new structure. With costs rapidly increasing, production at the adidas-owned factories in Germany is becoming less and less profitable. adidas now has to be transformed from a largely manufacturing company into a marketing-oriented one.

Ivan Lendl, Rising Star 1985 adidas star Ivan Lendl plays his way to the top of the world tennis rankings.

“Azteca” at the World Cup™ 1986 Once again, the spotlight is on adidas at the Football World Cup in Mexico. The adidas “Azteca”, the world’s first synthetic World Cup matchball, is introduced.

Horst Dassler Passes Away 1986 Horst Dassler dies unexpectedly aged only 51. He was not able to finish the global restructuring of the company, which is now heading for troubled waters.

Steffi Graf at the Top 1987 Steffi Graf, under contract with adidas since 1985, climbs to the top of the Tennis World Ranking.

New Sports Shoes 1988 adidas launches the revolutionary “TORSION®” sole system, still used today for a wide variety of sports shoes.


adidas in Seoul 1988 At the Seoul Olympic Games, 120 nations wear adidas products. 76 percent of all athletes put their trust in products with the Three Stripes. They win 365 medals - 124 gold, 114 silver and 127 bronze.

Corporation Status 1989 adidas becomes a corporation “Aktiengesellschaft”), though it retains its family ownership.

1990s

1990s adidas shoe 1996 Long-distances-spikes 1996 designed for Haile Gebrselassie, the 10,000m gold medal winner in Atlanta.

Football World Champion 1990 Germany becomes Football World Champions, equipped 100 percent by adidas.

Dassler sells Stock 1990 Bernard Tapie purchases the majority of adidas stock. This marks the end of adidas as a family-owned company.

Return to the Early Days 1990 After a difficult transition period, adidas returned to its roots and its original objective. Producing top quality products becomes the company’s guiding principle once more.

The Launch of “EQUIPMENT” 1991 adidas “EQUIPMENT” is launched. The new label denotes performance-orientated and functional footwear and clothing.

Streetball Tournament 1992 The first adidas Streetball tournament takes place in Marx Engels Square in Berlin. Considered merely a trend in 1992, Streetball has since become firmly established as a sport. Thousands of players compete to win in 3-on-3 fair-play games. With Streetball, adidas starts to specifically target a younger age group.


Olympics in Barcelona 1992 The Olympic Games take place in Barcelona: track and field athletes wearing adidas win 117 medals. These include Javier Sotomayor and Heike Henkel, who take gold in the high jumping event for men and women, respectively.

A New President 1993 Robert Louis-Dreyfus becomes President of adidas AG. New sales and marketing strategies pave the way for the successful turnaround. The Frenchman initiates the comeback of the Three Stripes and his leadership accelerates deep changes throughout the company.

adidas and Fashion 1993 Trend towards adidas “Originals” surfaces. Trendsetters such as Madonna wear classic sports footwear and clothing of the 1970s. As a result, the “Gazelle” is produced again in small quantities.

The Year of the Comeback 1994 adidas reports a clear upward trend in sales and profits.

Partner at World Cup 1994 adidas is official marketing partner at the Football World Cup in the USA. “Predator®” is the name of the revolutionary football boot introduced on this occasion and “Questra” is the official matchball.

Mavic joins the Group 1994 The French company Mavic joins the Salomon Group. Mavic is “all about love for cycling, which leads to the design and manufacture of great products that make a real difference to cycling”.

adidas goes Public 1995 It is now 75 years since Adi Dassler made his first shoes. adidas attracts participants and spectators to its events in the sectors of basketball, Streetball, football, track and field, outdoor and tennis, setting milestones in the events scene. Six years after the family-owned company was transformed into a corporation, adidas goes public. The adidas share is one of the most appealing new listings on the stock market in Germany.


Bonfire joins the Group 1995 In December, Bonfire, the American snowboard-clothing brand, joins the Salomon Group, bringing energy and youthful influence to the group.

The “Predator®” 1995 The “Predator®” shoe is introduced and sets new standards in the football world. adidas reports a clear upward trend in sales and profits. The “adidas Predator Cup”, a football tournament for young talent, takes place for the first time in co-operation with the adidas Bundesliga clubs in Germany.

The Most Successful Year 1996 1996 turns out to be one of the most successful years in adidas history. At the European Football Championship and the Atlanta Olympic Games, adidas successfully underlines its ambition to become the best sports brand in the world.

European Championship 1996 Five of the 16 teams at the European Championship wear adidas. adidas also supplies the Official Matchball and equips the referees and linesmen.

Traxion soles a Hit 1996 The innovative adidas football boots with Traxion sole technology represent a new milestone in the development of football boots and become an instant success.

“We knew then...” 1996 adidas chooses 1996, the centenary of the modern Olympic Games, to celebrate past successes as well triumphs still to come. The occasion is symbolized by the concept “We knew then - we know now”. This concept reaps rich rewards with gold medals won by Donovan Bailey (Canada) in the 100 meters, Lars Riedel (Germany) in the discus, Nourredine Morceli (Algeria) in the 1500 meters, Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia) in the 10,000 meters and Felix Savon (Cuba) in boxing. adidas equips 33 nations in Atlanta; 6,000 participants wear adidas, and adidas supplies products for 21 of the 26 sports. No other brand has been so closely associated with so many athletes in such a large number of sports over so many years as adidas.

Step into the Future 1996 A new logo, which stands for the performance and future of the brand, is launched.

The New Generation 1996


A new generation of adidas athletes symbolizes the innovative technologies and contemporary design of adidas products.

This concept centres on an extensive marketing campaign focused on the new basketball superstar Kobe Bryant, who already enjoys cult status in the USA as the youngest NBA player of all time.

Anna Kournikova in tennis, and David Beckham and Alessandro del Piero in soccer are just a few of the other exceptional talents wearing adidas, each of whom on their way to becoming the stars of the future.

Admitted to DAX 1998 In June the adidas-Salomon share is admitted to the DAX, comprising Germany’s 30 largest quoted companies.

Sponsor of FIFA 1998 The highlight of 1998 is the FIFA World Cup in France. adidas is the first sporting goods company to be named Official Sponsor of a Football World Cup and equips the host team, France, who go on to become the new World Champions. adidas has worldwide license rights to the world’s biggest single sporting event. adidas supplies the official World Cup matchball, equips 12,000 World Cup officials and volunteers, outfits the referees and linesmen and delivers numerous revolutionary soccer technologies. Alongside France, adidas is official supplier to Argentina, Germany, Yugoslavia, Romania and Spain.

German Headquarters 1999 In the spring, adidas-Salomon employees move into refurbished headquarters. With the creation of the “World of Sports” on a former US Army base, adidas-Salomon decides in favour of Herzogenaurach as the company’s long-term corporate headquarters, and thus in favour of the birthplace of the adidas brand. In the first phase, the campus-style World of Sports provides space for 600 people working in the Global Marketing Departments.

50 Years of adidas 1999 adidas celebrates its 50th anniversary. Following a successful turnaround, the company is now on top form. For the first time, adidas-Salomon AG exceeds DM 10 billion, with sales of DM 10471 billion. The number of employees now totals 12,829 worldwide.


USA and Seville 1999 adidas is Official Sponsor of the Women’s World Cup 1999 in the USA, underlining its position as the number one football brand. adidas is partner to Sweden, Japan, China and Australia, as well as to Germany. The Three Stripes are also highly visible at the final sporting highlight of the millennium. As Official Sponsor, adidas dominates the World Track Field Championships in Seville, and is once again supplier to numerous federations and athletes. Furthermore, adidas is named Official Supplier and Licensee for the European Football Championship 2000.

Herbert Hainer 1999 In November, Herbert Hainer is appointed Deputy Chairman and Chief Operating Officer of adidas-Salomon AG. He is to become Robert Louis-Dreyfus’ successor as CEO in the spring of 2001.

2000s

The Intelligent Shoe 2004 In December, after three years of highly confidential in-house development, the most advanced shoe ever will hit selected markets: the “adidas_1” provides intelligent cushioning by automatically and continuously adjusting itself. It does so by sensing the cushioning level, using a sensor and a magnet. It then understands whether the cushioning level is too soft or too firm via a small computer.

Revolutionary Products 2000 adidas develops revolutionary products based on the concept of ‘Energy Maintenance’ for six sports: swimming, track and field, cycling, fencing, weightlifting and wrestling. The most lasting impression of all is left by the adidas EQUIPMENT ‘Full Body Swimsuit’, in which Ian Thorpe, Australia’s 17-year-old national hero, wins three gold medals and sets four world records, becoming the star of Sydney Olympics.

adidas Dominates 2000 The adidas brand dominates the two outstanding sports events of the year: the European Football Championship in Holland and Belgium, and the Olympic Summer Games in Sydney.


adidas at Euro 2000 2000 adidas, Official Supplier and Licensee of EURO 2000™, equips European Champions France and the most outstanding player of the tournament, Zinedine Zidane. Alongside Zidane, David Beckham (England), Patrick Kluivert (Holland) and Alessandro del Piero (Italy) wear the revolutionary new adidas football boot, the EQUIPMENT “Predator® Precision”. Players wearing this shoe score more than 25% of the goals in this tournament. The adidas EQUIPMENT “Silverstream” is the Official Matchball of the tournament.

adidas in Sydney 2000 In Sydney, adidas once again demonstrates its competence as an Olympic brand: the Three Stripes are represented in 26 of 28 sports. More than 3,000 athletes wear adidas.

The adidas “EQUIPMENT Silverstream” is the official matchball in Sydney.

Advertiser of the Year 2000 adidas is named “Advertiser of the Year” and is presented with the prestigious Clio Award in New York. The “Road to Sydney” program is produced, becoming the first sporting goods soap in the industry’s history. It is televised worldwide by leading TV channels.

Selected for the DJSI 2000 In October, adidas-Salomon AG is selected to join the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI). The DJSI are the world’s first global indices tracking the performance of the leading sustainability-driven companies worldwide. In the Annual Review 2000, Dow Jones analyses the social, environmental and financial performance of adidas-Salomon AG and concludes that adidas-Salomon is an industry leader on sustainability issues. In particular, Dow Jones recognises that adidas-Salomon has made significant progress in improving the social and environmental conditions in the factories that supply its products.

Agreement is Signed 2000 adidas underlines its position as the undisputed market leader in football, signing a long-term agreement as Official Sponsor and Licensee of the FIFA World Cup™ 2002 and 2006 and the Women’s World Cup 2003.


A New Brand structure 2000 In October, adidas-Salomon presents an exciting new structure in New York for its core brand, adidas. Instead of the traditional divisional structure of Footwear and Clothing/Accessories, adidas now has three divisions: Forever Sport, Original and EQUIPMENT. (To be renamed in 2002 as adidas Sport Performance, adidas Sport Heritage and adidas Sport Style).

Centenary of Adi Dassler 2000 November 3rd marks the 100th birthday of the late Adi Dassler, the founder of adidas.

A year of record sales 2000 adidas-Salomon’s sales reach a new record level of 5.8 billion. The Growth and Efficiency Program, initiated earlier in the year, is completed, paving the way for future success for the Group.

adidas CEO 2001 Herbert Hainer is officially appointed CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of adidas-Salomon AG effective March 8, 2001.

Customization Experience 2001 adidas, as the first brand in the sporting goods industry, launches the “Customization Experience” project introducing a new business model in the industry giving consumers the opportunity to create their own unique footwear to their exact personal specifications in terms of function, fit and looks.

Stores Open Worldwide 2001 In September the first adidas Originals store opens in Berlin, followed by Tokyo in December. In addition, the first adidas mega stores open in Paris and Amsterdam.

FC Bayern Munich 2001 adidas and Germany’s most successful football club, FC Bayern Munich, agree on a unique strategic partnership. While acquiring a 10% stake in FC Bayern Munich AG, adidas renews its contract as official sponsor, supplier and licensee until 2010.


Maximizing Profit 2001 adidas-Salomon achieves record-breaking sales of € 6.1 billion. The management put together a team that is committed to maximizing profit from the Group’s passion for performance, innovation and heritage. This allows them to honour their promise of a 15% increase in earnings per share.

The company ends the year as the top performer in the DAX-30, Germany’s leading stock index, with a gain of 28%, and the share price outperforming the index by 48%.

Victory at the Games 2002 At the Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City adidas and Salomon athletes win a combined 191 medals (62 gold, 67 silver and 62 bronze). adidas outfits more than 50% of all individual athletes, eight National Olympic teams and several sports federations at these Games. Overall highlights include Christoph Langen and André Lange in bobsled and the victorious German women’s biathlon team, all wearing adidas. The list of victorious Salomon athletes is headed by Janica Kostelic who wins an historic 4 medals (including 3 golds) in alpine skiing, and Fritz Strobl who wins the marquee men’s downhill event, both wearing Salomon skis.

USA Headquarters open 2002 adidas opens its new North American headquarters in February. The adidas “Village”, as it is called, is located 5 minutes from downtown Portland in an area undergoing a program of urban renewal and unites all adidas and Salomon employees in Portland, Oregon under one roof.

Debut of ClimaCool™ 2002 In March, adidas’s footwear innovation featuring a 360º ventilation system, makes its global debut. Through the introduction of new, breathable materials in all areas of the shoe, ClimaCool™ allows consumers’ feet to “feel the breeze”. One month later, adidas introduces its second innovation of the year. a³ (pronounced “a-cubed”) is more than a cushioning system. It is an Energy Management system that cushions, guides and drives the foot for the perfect foot-strike.

FIFA World Cup 2002 2002 At the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ in Korea and Japan adidas presents the “Predator Mania”, an improved version of their earlier “Predator” boots. Football players wear jerseys with the “Dynamic Layering Concept” and The Fevernova™ is the Official Match Ball for the 2002 FIFA World Cup™.


Leadership in the Market 2002 adidas confirms its football leadership by selling over 6 million footballs, more than 1.5 million replica jerseys and over half a million pairs of “Predator” Mania.

The Three-Part Structure 2002 In July, adidas-Salomon completes its revolutionary three-part structure for its core brand, adidas, and positions its third division as “adidas Sport Style – the future in sportswear”. The other two existing divisions are renamed “adidas Sport Performance” and ”adidas Sport Heritage”. The world-famous Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto is appointed Creative Director of the new adidas Sport Style division. In October, the first collection of the adidas Sport Style division designed by Yohji Yamamoto is presented in Paris’s Stade de Charlety.

Successful Shares 2002 As in 2001, the adidas-Salomon share is once again the top performer in the DAX-30, Germany’s leading stock index. Group sales rise 7% to reach a record level of € 6.5 billion.

Position in World Market 2003 adidas signs a sponsorship agreement for the European Football Championships 2004 in Portugal, thus becoming the official sponsor of every major football tournament and event. Besides the 2003 FIFA Women’s World Cup™ and the UEFA Champions League™, adidas is also already the official sponsor for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany™. With this agreement, the company once again manifests its position as the world’s leading football brand.

The “Jetconcept” 2003 Over the summer of 2003, adidas successfully launches “JetConcept”, a new body suit, at the FINA World Swimming Championships, an event also sponsored by the company. Thanks to small integrated riblets, the JetConcept reduces the drag a swimmer faces in the water. Ian Thorpe, the first swimmer ever to wear the revolutionary suit, wins three gold medals, one silver and one bronze.

Optimizing Debt-Structure 2003 In order to optimize its debt structure and financing terms, adidas-Salomon launches a € 400 million convertible bond offering in August. The bond’s maturity is set at 15 years and is convertible into approximately 4 million shares of adidas-Salomon AG.


Selection for the DJSI 2003 In September, adidas-Salomon is included in the Dow Jones Sustainability Indexes (DJSI) for the fourth consecutive time. The DJSI, the world’s first global sustainability indices, were launched in 1999 and analyse the performance of the world’s leading sustainability-driven companies. The repeated selection of adidas-Salomon once again proves the company’s industry-leading commitment in social and environmental affairs.

Originals Stores Opened 2003 adidas opens three new Originals Stores: the store in Miami South beach marks the second opening in the US after New York. Korea welcomes its first adidas Originals Store in Seoul, and Italy sees a new grand opening in Milan.

Women’s Football, USA 2003 The adidas-sponsored German football team celebrates its fourth title at the 2003 Women’s Football World Cup in the United States. Nia Künzer scores the Golden Goal for the 2-1 victory over Sweden in an unforgettable final.

Herbert Hainer Awarded 2003 Herbert Hainer, CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board of adidas-Salomon AG, receives the Bambi in the business category.

adidas Strengthens in USA 2003 adidas moves some of the major marketing positions to its North American headquarters in Portland, Oregon. Erich Stamminger, in addition to his responsibilities as member of the Executive Board of adidas-Salomon AG, takes on the position as CEO and President of adidas America Inc. This move allows adidas to further strengthen its efforts in North America.

New Factory Outlet 2003 adidas celebrates the opening of the new Factory Outlet in Herzogenaurach. The outlet consists of a 38,000 square foot building with sales floor space of around 22,000 square foot.

Another Record Year 2003 Despite tough market conditions, 2003 turns out to be a record year for adidas-Salomon. Sales reach € 6.3 billion, which equals a 5% improvement in currency-neutral terms. Net income increases by 14% to € 260 million: another record high.

“Impossible is nothing” 2003


“Impossible is nothing” is the central message of a global brand campaign launched by adidas in February. It brings to life the attitude adidas shares with athletes around the world – the desire to render the impossible possible, to push yourself further, to surpass limits, to break new ground. The campaign shows the rich stable of adidas athletes past and present starting with the greatest of all time, boxing legend Muhammad Ali, long-distance runner Haile Gebrselassie, football icon David Beckham and NBA star Tracy McGrady.

PredatorPulse™ Launched 2003 The new PredatorPulse™, the best football boot ever made, is launched as the number one brand in football. The boot features the revolutionary PowerPulse™ technology, based on a simple principle already used in the construction of tennis rackets and golf clubs: optimal distribution of mass. The Predator®, which celebrates its 10th birthday this year, is the world’s best selling football boot and is endorsed by some of the world’s best players, such as FIFA World Player of the Year Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Raúl, Michael Ballack, Kaka and Rui Costa.

David Beckham 2003 In March adidas and David Beckham take their long-lasting relationship to an even higher level. They extend their contract until 2008 and at the same time unveil David Beckham’s personal logo. This logo represents the merging of two of the most powerful brands in world sport.

adidas and UEFA 2004 adidas has a role as a National Supporter and Official Licensee of UEFA EURO 2004™ in Portugal and Official Supplier of the match ball, the Roteiro™. adidas supplies clothing to five countries: Greece, France, Germany, Spain and Latvia.

Nothing is Impossible 2004 The UEFA EURO 2004™ ends with the tremendous success of the Greek national football team. The Greek team clearly proves that sport is about achieving the impossible. When they entered EURO, Greece had never won a match in a major tournament. When they left, they were European Champions. With this victory, five out of the six most recent European champions were wearing the adidas three stripes.


UEFA EURO 2004 2004 For adidas, The UEFA EURO 2004™ the also proves to be a commercial success. More than 1.3 million replica jerseys, over 1.2 million UEFA EURO 2004™ licensed products and more than 250,000 pieces of adidas’ newly introduced women’s football range are sold.

adidas in Athens 2004 adidas uses the Olympic Games in Athens as a platform for showcasing its brand once again. adidas is official outfitter of 21 National Olympic Committees, including host nation Greece, the USA, Germany, Great Britain, France and Cuba. In total, more than 4,000 athletes from 45 different countries compete in three stripes and adidas provides products for 26 out of the 28 Olympic sports. Athletes wearing adidas shoes or apparel win 101 gold, 73 silver and 93 bronze medals. Among the successful adidas athletes are record-setting swimmer star Ian Thorpe (Australia), high jumper Hestrie Cloete (South Africa), running legend Haile Gebrselassie (Ethiopia), weightlifter Pyrros Dimas (Greece), 100m World Champion Kim Collins (St. Kitts and Nevis), Olympic Sprint Champion Maurice Greene (USA) and the record-breaking decathlete Roman Sebrle (Czech Republic). These athletes introduce adidas’ latest innovations in footwear and clothing at the Games.

Stella McCartney 2004 adidas and Stella McCartney announce a long-term partnership, presenting the adidas by Stella McCartney sports performance collection. For the first time ever, a high-end fashion designer has created a functional sports performance range for women. The first collection will be available in stores across the U.S., Japan and Europe from spring/summer 2005.


adidas Anecdotes

The First Tracksuit During a social event, Adi happened to meet Willia Seltenreich, the owner of a well-known German textile factory. More or less in passing, Adi asked him: “Do you think you could possibly sew me 10 track suits with three stripes? Or better still, 100? Or tell you what, let’s make that 1,000”. Before long, Willi Seltenreich stopped working for his other customers and began producing exclusively for adidas.

The First Shoe Adi Dasslers’ first shoe, made from the few materials available in the difficult post-war period, was produced in canvas. A passionate athlete himself, Adi was in close contact with athletes from the very beginning and was always present in person at important sports events.

Designed for Track and Field Adi Dassler focused his work on the classic disciplines of track and field. Athletes wore special shoes from his workshop for the first time at the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. In the mid 1920s he was already experimenting with spikes.

Put the Shoes on and Walk Around Among his factory workers, Adi was renowned, and feared, for his ability to “fish a single faulty shoe from the production line” in the twinkling of an eye, apparently without even looking. If the workers had forgotten to pull the staples out of the insoles, or the lasting tacks were not cleanly riveted, or the heel lining was throwing folds, he often reacted with very unconventional “education methods”. On such occasions, it was not unusual for him to request the guilty party to kindly put the shoes on and walk around in front of him. This painful experience convinced many a worker and supervisor of the need to be absolutely thorough in their work.

30 Different Shoes for 11 Sports By the mid 1930s Adi Dassler was already producing a range of 30 different shoes for eleven sports, with a workforce of almost 100 employees. In less than two decades adidas rose to become the worlds leading sports shoe manufacturer.

Adi producing Bazookas During the war, Adi Dassler does not remain unaffected by the political situation. Instead of shoes, the company is to produce bazookas. However, the footwear production machinery proves to be entirely unsuitable for manufacturing weaponry. After one year of service in the army, Adi is ordered to return to his premises, in order to make training shoes for the army.


Working in his Mother's Washroom At the end of the war, Adi stubbornly refused to continue working as a baker, wanting instead to follow his dream of making sports shoes. He cheaply purchased surplus goods from the disbanded army and used these materials to found a business in his mother’s washroom. Adi develops his first sports shoe, equipped with black spikes made of hand-forged nails by his blacksmith friend Christoph Zehlein.

Personal and Professional From the very beginning, adidas was a family-run company, with Adi, “the patriarch”, at the helm. Every day, he would walk around the factory equipped with a notepad to take down his countless ideas. He was respected both personally and professionally by his employees, who refer to him as “The Chief”. Adi develops new shoes, balls, clothing and accessories. Meanwhile, his wife Käthe is in charge of the administrative work. Whilst her husband develops the company on a creative and philosophical level, Käthe acts as its general manager and deals with all financial issues.

Sport is the Most Important In the 1960s, Adi has problems with the growing commercialization of competitive sports. He cannot understand why money has suddenly become more important than the actual sports performance. Adi himself is earning millions, but sees this merely as a pleasant side effect. It certainly didn’t stop him from working extremely hard to make the best sports products possible. To him personally, the competition - the sport itself - stands out above all financial aspirations.

Adi Spots Shoe Problem from TV Adi never attended the major sports events outside Europe. Instead, he would send a team of professionals to take good care of the athletes. 1976 was the year of the Montreal Olympic Games. Adi was watching the 400m heats at home on TV, when suddenly something caught his attention. An abnormality in the motion of Alberto Juantorena, the exceptional Cuban athlete, worried him greatly. In the bends, the runner was drifting almost imperceptibly towards the outer edge, and even on the straight he was running more on the edge of his soles. Adi immediately called his team and told them to check Alberto’s shoes. As an innovation for these Olympics, Adi had developed a sole with individually adjustable spikes. Alberto inadvertently tinkered with the sole himself and had accidentally increased the height of the spikes. Nobody who was present at the game noticed the mistake, yet the 75-year-old Adi at the other end of the world spotted the problem on his TV screen. The shoes were immediately adjusted and Juantorena, nicknamed “The Horse”, won gold in the 400m and 800m Finals.

Adi’s Quest for Perfection When Adolf Dassler made his first shoes in 1920, at the age of just 20, he was inspired by a single idea. His vision was to provide every athlete with the best footwear for his respective discipline. It was this principle that guided him right up until his death in 1978. 700 patents and other industrial property rights worldwide are proof of Adi’s incessant quest for perfection.


Atheletes to Advertise Products Adi Dassler strove to specialize and optimize his products in order to keep up with the rapid developments in sport. He was the first entrepreneur to use sports promotion as a way of drawing public attention to his innovations. He began to use well-known athletes as an advertisement for his products. Many famous athletes such as Jesse Owens, Muhammad Ali, Max Schmeling, Sepp Herberger and Franz Beckenbauer counted themselves among the friends of the Dassler Family.

Innovation for every Major Event Aggressive publicity became one of the cornerstones of Adi’s corporate policy. He came up with a product innovation for every major event, always documenting the superiority of adidas footwear. In consultation with active athletes from a wide variety of disciplines, he developed the optimal shoe for almost every sport. Together with his son Horst, Adi Dassler created an international company that was, and still is, present at all the world’s sporting events.

Brigitte Dassler loyal to adidas Adi’s daughter Brigitte learnt to speak Russian and took over responsibility for the business in the Eastern European region. She fulfilled her assignment with such devotion that even in the most icy times of cold war, famous athletes from communist countries were using adidas products.

His Simple Desire Adi wasn’t striving to change the world and his work was not driven by a desire for money. He simply wanted to make good shoes. The only thing that was important to him was sport. Adi loved innovation, development and production. Marketing, sales and profit were just a means to an end as far as he was concerned.

Dedicated to Improving Products Adi dedicated his life to direct contact with athletes and their trainers, to creating new products, and to constantly improving existing equipment. He also took part in all kind of sports: even at the age of 75, he was still playing tennis and swimming on a regular basis. Adi was running adidas right up until his death.

A Remarkable Personality Adi’s employees would have gone through fire and water for their boss. The way he looked after his employees, his ingenuity, and his remarkable personality were unique.

The Chief 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 history

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