adidas continues FIFA partnership

An agreement is now in place for one of the longest-running partnerships in modern sports marketing history to continue. The international football federation FIFA and adidas have formally announced an extension of their long-term agreement, first signed in 1970, which grants adidas the official partner, supplier and licensee rights for the FIFA World Cup and all FIFA events until 2030. The announcement was made during a ceremony in Moscow – host city for the 2018 FIFA World Cup – by Thierry Weil, FIFA marketing director, and Herbert Hainer, adidas Group chief executive.

While the world was learning about the FIFA agreement, news was also released about the demise of an adidas sub-brand. The company will not continue to produce its five-year-old high-end SLVR line after the current autumn-winter season. Since entering the market in 2009, the SLVR range has included men’s and women’s footwear, clothing and accessories. The dedicated SLVR unit in Berlin will become an ‘adidas trend’ store, while the Miami outlet will be re-modelled to adopt ‘adidas by Stella McCartney’ branding. The lease on the third SLVR store – in New York – expired at the end of 2013.

As part of its strategy to improve sales of high end products, adidas will be concentrating on collaboration projects with a number of designers, including Ms McCartney. According to the company, it will develop a new approach for sophisticated sportswear under its Sport Style sub-brand, beginning in spring 2014.

Photograph shows Herbert Hainer, adidas Group chief executive (left) with FIFA Marketing Director, Thierry Weil.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 2 of the January 2014 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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