by Theda Braddock
In the past few years, adidas has no doubt been a source of envy to brand managers everywhere. The group’s hit campaign “Original is Never Finished” is now in its third year running, and just last year they took home a smattering of Lions, including the Grand Prix in Entertainment for Music, for their ‘My Way’ spot.
In a conversation with Adweek editor Lisa Granatstein this past week in Cannes, VP of global communications for adidas Originals & Style Alegra O’Hare shared a few of the secrets behind their success.
Number one on the list – selecting the right team. O’Hare championed the idea of creating a diverse team of people who come from all walks of life. A team who has a broad range of experiences and cultures and a healthy ratio of women to men (hers is 68% women) can help build a stronger pool of ideas.
In fact, adidas has built a reputation over the years for its ability to be in tune with culture and the evolution of trends – a strategy built by design and one that will help carry them into the future. O’Hare believes it comes down to a brand’s ability to create culture, rather than consuming it. She cites ‘Fearless Girl’ as an example – “the contribution to culture was so massive. It went beyond any campaign, or communication plan or marketing plan… I think those types of brands, regardless of the industry, those are the benchmarks we look at. We really want to contribute to culture and leave a cultural legacy and footprint.”
The brand, like so many others, is focusing on data but O’Hare cautions that brands should leave room for intuition, a skill she finds is frequently underused. Data is “important, and technology, AI, AR, etc. – but you also have to question data skeptically, you get so much of it,” she explained, citing ‘My Way’ as an example. The campaign would have taken a whole other route if she had listened to what the data was telling her. Every indication was that the campaign needed a contemporary artist and when the idea of using ‘My Way’ came up, it seemed illogical – kids don’t know Sinatra, work with someone like Pharrell… Intuition beat data when the campaign won a Grand Prix at last year’s Lions.
And with culture evolving so quickly, it’s important that brands react. O’Hare believes briefs are outdated and considers speed more important than ever. Brands can keep up, and move ahead, when they can keep the conversation flowing, with agencies and within, which means having the right people, her first rule. As O’Hare puts it, “people are king, content is queen.”
