I found Eric’s blog post on Adidas to be an interesting read. I agree with Eric when he says that Adidas is losing in the US market because they are seen as “being too ‘European,’” however I think that this train of thought can be expanded upon.
There are a few main reasons why Adidas is losing market share in the US, while Under Armour is growing and Nike sits atop the athletic industry.
- Innovation – Nike is continually releasing new and innovative apparel designs, while Adidas is always one step behind.
- Brand image – Adidas is seen as primarily a soccer brand (being too “European) that has tried to enter into other sports. Nike and Under Armour are seen as athletic apparel brands for all sports.
- Culture – As David Hieatt explains in his blog post, Nike has voiced its culture, while Adidas hasn’t been able to. Consumers have an emotional connection with Nike, but Adidas hasn’t been able to find its voice.
Like Eric, I believe that if Adidas wants to compete with Nike, they need to better target other sports besides soccer. Not only that, they need to be ahead of Nike when it comes to innovations, not always in the shadows. Lastly, they need to be able to connect with the people who use their products.