Adidas celebrates China milestone with cultural collaboration

German sportswear company Adidas said as one of its most important global markets, China will continue to play an integral role in contributing to its growth, and the company will attract more Chinese designers and integrate more local cultural elements into the design of its products to better connect with local consumers.

Adidas signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Chinese Literature and Art Foundation on Nov 5 for a three-year partnership to promote Chinese culture and sport in China and in the overseas market.

The partnership will see Adidas collaborate with the foundation in three key areas which involve the promotion of China’s unique legacy of sport, youth engagement and telling China’s story to the world.

To help promote Chinese culture to a global audience, Adidas will partner with the foundation to jointly produce two documentaries featuring outstanding young athletes such as Chinese Olympic champion snowboarder Su Yiming.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Germany and the 25th year since Adidas started operations in the China market.

“Over the past 25 years, China has been a source of immense pride for Adidas as we focus on helping more people to embrace the power of sport in their daily lives,” said Adrian Siu, managing director of Adidas Greater China.

“We look forward to leveraging our partnership with the foundation to write a new chapter of sport and culture in China, in addition to helping China share its unique culture with the rest of the world. We will continue to seek new ways to integrate Chinese creativity and innovation in our efforts to connect with Chinese consumers,” Siu said.

Currently, Adidas operates more than 12,000 stores in China, and it plans to further expand its presence in smaller cities to tap a growing demand for sports products from young consumers.

In China, Adidas has been increasingly turning to co-creation and development with local designers and artists, drawing creative inspiration from traditional and modern Chinese culture into the design of its products to better connect with local consumers.

Xiang Yunju, vice-chairman and secretary of the China Literature and Art Foundation, said: “We look forward to strengthening our cooperation with Adidas to better engage with China’s new generation, and explore innovative ways to promote Chinese culture to a wider audience.”