adidas to launch customization experience

Herzogenaurach, 04/02/2001 - adidas, as the first brand in the sporting goods industry, is set to launch a pioneering “Customization Experience” project in footwear. The project starts in the Soccer category, but will be expanded into other major sports categories. With the “Customization Experience” project, adidas will give consumers the opportunity to create their own unique footwear to their exact personal specifications in terms of function, fit and looks, thus providing services that were so far only available to soccer stars like David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane.

The decision to proceed with the “Customization Experience” project was made after the successful completion and stringent evaluation of a pilot project conducted in the second half of 2000 in six European countries. During the test project some 400 pairs of the revolutionary adidas Predator® Precision soccer boots were custom built and delivered to a select group of consumers in Germany, France, England, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. Delivery time took two weeks on average. Consumer satisfaction was overwhelmingly positive.

With the start of the “Customization Experience” project, adidas is entering the new age of the “experience economy“. adidas introduces a new business model in the industry, influencing and changing the whole value chain and potentially the sporting goods marketplace, creating a new level of relationship between the consumer and the brand.

The adidas “Customization Experience” unit used during the pilot project will be on display at ISPO in Munich, February 4-6, 2001. Launch in the retail marketplace is scheduled for mid 2001.