THE ADIDAS SLOGAN: FROM ‘’IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING’’ TO ‘’ADIDAS IS ALL IN ‘’
• A great brand or a company slogan lays out the complete brand philosophy in just one small phrase: it should explain what is the reason behind the very existence of a brand.
• It was not until 1974 that Adidas got associated with the slogan, “Impossible is Nothing” that is actually taken from a quote by Muhammad Ali.
• Muhammad Ali endorsed Adidas at the peak of his era. Now it must be easier to digest how Adidas got affiliated with this slogan: through brand endorsement and smart positioning.
• Erich Stamminger, member of the Executive Board of Adidas, describes “Impossible is Nothing” is the concept behind Adidas’ brand positioning “forever sport” that clearly and emotionally communicates our passion for sport. He added, “As an athlete you always strive to go further, break new ground, and surpass your limits. So do we as a brand, to achieve our mission to be the leading sports brand in the world.”
• In 1974 Adidas launched a series of the “Impossible is Nothing” campaign as short videos featuring the legendary Muhammad Ali.
• The first in the series was a boxing match between a younger version of Muhammad Ali and his three time female-boxing champion daughter, Laila Ali, at the height of his own boxing career.
• Hence, a series of event and celebrity based campaigns around the “Impossible is Nothing” slogan followed for years to strengthen the brand philosophy.
• Impossible is Nothing has been a powerful Adidas slogan for many years and many people will continue to remember the brand with the same philosophy for times to come. However, as of March 2011, the new Adidas slogan has been changed to “All In,” through a campaign that was claimed to be the most expensive Adidas marketing effort ever.
• Adidas is carrying on with it’s slogan “Adidas Is All In” in 2013.
• This is the first time that the company has created a campaign leveraging the adidas Sport Performance, adidas Originals and adidas Sport Style sub-brands, ensuring that it is the most diverse and all-encompassing glimpse into the brand ever.
• The campaign showcases adidas’ distinctive presence across and into different sports, cultures and lifestyles fusing the worlds of sport, music and fashion.
• Captured in their natural, authentic surroundings, brand ambassadors from football stars Lionel Messi and David Beckham to NBA star Derrick Rose and pop icon Katy Perry to the adidas skateboarding team and many more show that when you love your game, whatever the game, you put your all into it.
