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Brand Adidas Looks at the World Cup "The Jedi Counterattack"
In the wake of the 2010 New Year, Herbert Hainer, CEO of Adidas Group, embarked on his first business trip to China alongside Christophe Bezu, the newly appointed Managing Director for Greater China. This visit underscored Adidas' continued commitment to maintaining its position as a leading player in the Chinese sports market. Hainer emphasized that the upcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa would be a key strategic advantage for the brand.
Chinese sportswear giants like Li Ning have been steadily gaining ground against traditional leaders such as Adidas. In the first half of 2009, Adidas reported sales of 5.034 billion euros globally, with China contributing between 7% and 8%, or approximately 3.45 to 3.95 billion yuan. During the same period, Li Ning’s revenue reached 4.05 billion yuan, surpassing Adidas’ local sales figures. Industry insiders speculated that Li Ning might overtake Adidas as the top sports brand in China in 2009.
Despite this challenge, Hainer acknowledged the growing strength of domestic brands but maintained that Adidas and Nike still held a significant lead. “Chinese companies are catching up, but they are still followers,†he stated. However, the road ahead was not without obstacles. After the Beijing Olympics, Adidas faced high inventory levels, which led to heavy discounts and declining profits for many distributors. Major partners like Belle and Daphne closed hundreds of stores, and some executives, including Reebok China's general manager Zheng Jie, moved to rival companies like Anta Sports.
To address these issues, Hainer focused on restructuring the distribution channels. Du Berry, the new head of Greater China, prioritized strengthening relationships with existing dealers while exploring online marketing and selective self-operated stores. He also aimed to improve inventory management, with a goal of bringing stock levels back to normal by mid-2010.
Looking ahead, Hainer remained cautiously optimistic about 2010, especially with the South African World Cup on the horizon. As an official sponsor, Adidas planned to launch a range of products, including the iconic Jabulani football and new footwear lines like Falcon and F50. The company also intended to support 12 national teams, including host nation South Africa, and featured numerous athletes in their campaigns.
The 2006 World Cup had already proven to be a major success for Adidas, with sales surging by 52% year-on-year to 10.084 billion euros. With the 2010 event approaching, the brand was determined to replicate that success and further solidify its global dominance.