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Innovative Sports Marketing Strategy: The 'Never Follow' Campaign
Applicable Functions
- Sales & Marketing
The Challenge
For years, football brands have been promoting top players as idols for young fans to emulate. This traditional approach, while successful in the past, has started to lose its appeal among the new generation of football consumers who are more interested in creating their own path rather than imitating their heroes. The challenge was to launch adidas' new 'Stadium to Street' product in a way that resonates with this new mindset and encourages individuality and creativity among young football fans.
About The Customer
The target audience for the 'Never Follow' campaign is young football consumers. These are individuals who are passionate about the sport and look up to football stars as their heroes. However, unlike previous generations, they are not interested in simply imitating their idols. They want to create their own path and make their own mark in the world of football. They are digitally savvy and are likely to engage with the campaign through social media and other online platforms.
The Solution
To address this challenge, adidas launched the 'Never Follow' campaign. This innovative marketing strategy breaks away from the traditional approach of placing top players on a pedestal. Instead, it positions the young football 'creator' as the unseen hero, challenging them to create their own path rather than imitate their idols. The campaign was brought to life through a series of films that digitally disrupt the world of football star Paul Pogba, rejecting the idea of mimicking him. The campaign was rolled out over three months and featured other football stars like Mesut Özil, the S3 Freestylers, Leo Messi, and Luis Suarez.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
