Background

adidas Originals approached us to seed the release of the bold and unique Cream iteration of Pharrell’s iconic lifestyle sneaker, the HU NMD.

Ask

Create a culturally relevant and unforgettable seeding experience to drive headlines and product desire among the sneaker community.

Objectives

+ Inspire social and earned media through a first-ever seeding kit experience

+ Create a product relevant hook that drives headlines

+ Drive product purchase

In a sneaker culture saturated with hype, the audience has grown numb to releases seeded through static and contrived influencer strategies.

We saw an opportunity to break through the noise and transform product seeding kits into an experience by combining creativity, cutting-edge innovation and an element of surprise - for both our influencers and audience.

A confluence of culture, fashion and innovation - we utilized autonomous robotics to surprise deliver product to Pharrell and friends’ doorsteps.

Inspired by the Cream colorway, ribbed upper, hits of blue and pink, and lace cage, we custom designed and fabricated a costume for Boston Dynamics’ Spot.

The first-ever commercial advertising use of this unique and somewhat controversial technology, through its design, personified and choreographed programming, connection to trusted influencers and a content treatment rooted in happiness, fun and futurism, we sparked awe, joy and unity at the intersection of marketing, innovation, entertainment and utility.

Pharrell had teased his interest in Spot on his OTHERtone podcast, which served as a key insight and prompted our teams to surprise and delight him with this experience.

A strategy rooted in earned media and intentional cadence prior to product release, the drop was first spread through organic social content by Pusha T, Pharrell, David Beckham, Anitta and Dave Grutman.

Dubbed the “illest shoe seeding ever” by Pusha on IG immediately upon delivery, Complex ripped the video, tweeted it, and the sneakerhead community, and parallel audiences across technology and fashion were buzzing. From there, outlets core to the target audience including Hypebeast, Highsnobiety, Kicks On Fire and more used social to share in real-time, in addition, to quickly writing dedicated pieces on the drop strategy.

In combination with earned media generated through organic social content, adidas delivered a formal press release, unique media assets (featuring studio shot motion pieces), and official product-related information, which garnered multiple follow up pieces with visually striking and publication-specific assets.

2.2.21 - Organic Social

2.2.21 - 2.3.21 - Earned Media

2.4.21 - Product Release In CONFIRMED App

HU NMD CREAM DIGITAL COVERAGE

UVM = 63,325,180

Media Value = $118,274.72

Outlets :

Complex

Highsnobiety

Highsnobiety

Hypebae

Hypebeast

Input

Kicks On Fire

Nice Kicks

Sneaker Freaker

Sneaker News

Sole Collector

Sole Collector

Hot New Whip Hop

Hypebeast

HU NMD CREAM SOCIAL COVERAGE

UVM = 44,219,500

Media Value = $ 69,039.00

@complexsneakers

@highsnobietysneakers

@hypebae

@hypebeast

@kicksonfire

@sneakernews

@hypebeast

@justfreshkicks

@justfreshkicks

@justfreshkicks

@solecollector

@hypebeast

In addition to earned media value, the campaign drove tangible results with 72k people attempting to purchase the product within the CONFIRMED app at launch, and the product sold out in less than 2 minutes. Today, it remains one of Pharrell's most valuable shoes on the resale market (~$500-$600).

It continues to be referenced and buzzed about within the trade industry, the sneakerhead community, and even recently had a dedicated follow-up video piece from Hypebeast in their series 'Tagged'.