One of adidas’s most iconic products, Stan Smith’s mainstream status was beginning to deter Gen Z style buyers. However, with an upper section consisting of 50% recycled materials and an outsole made from rubber waste, the new version was the perfect opportunity to demonstrate to eco-conscious audiences adidas’s sustainability ambitions. We needed to launch the new, more eco-friendly Stan Smith in a way which continued to support its iconic status whilst extending this iconicity into the arena of sustainability.

Gen Z style buyers are increasingly concerned with how sustainably the products they wear are manufactured, while buying ‘new’ is falling out of fashion as attitudes shift toward repurposing, recycling and reselling.

With sustainability a bandwagon every brand is trying to jump on, we were dealing with audiences who would easily dismiss bold, sweeping claims as ‘greenwashing’.

Gen Z are also the generation that stands to be most negatively impacted by climate change and understand that, by themselves, they cannot bring about the changes which are needed. They place high expectations on brands to be part of the solution.

Building meaningful and credible connections around sustainability needed more than just traditional media placements showcasing our new, more sustainable product. We had to demonstrate a bold commitment and a strong set of beliefs through every touchpoint we used, with everyone we collaborated with and through every set of behaviours we exhibited.

Product launch, new sustainability chapter.

This required a step change in our media approach compared to previous launches.

Every touchpoint we used had to do much more than simply promote the product, it had to demonstrate our ambition, commitment and intent toward a more sustainable future of fashion. And with the idea of ‘being green’ at the heart of the product story, we had to find smart ways of bringing that to life.

This meant our strategy had to shift:

• From a big brand pushing a sale to a co-ordinated set of collaborations to drive behaviour change

• From launching a new product to announcing a new chapter in a sustainability story

• From showcasing a shoe’s aesthetic to demonstrating its sustainability credentials

• From posters as urban wallpaper to innovative executions which exemplified our beliefs

• From influencers as amplifiers to recruiting them as creators, collaborators, and directors

We partnered with Disney to create a short film on sustainability topics, featuring iconic green characters The Hulk, Yoda and Rex.

We incorporated the shoe through an interview between Stan Smith and the most iconic green character ever – Kermit the Frog.

Partnering with Revolt TV we created the show - ‘Sneakin’ in with Druski’ where Druski snuck into celebrity homes, inspiring them with ideas on sustainable lifestyles.

Working with ID and Deepop we recruited designers with ‘upcycling’ credentials to create unique garments to complement the shoes as well as creating their own customised Stan Smiths.

In New York we projected looped video footage featuring visuals of greenery and growth onto the Brooklyn Public Library. In Antwerp we created an upcycled artwork banner which appeared on the museum of fine arts and in Italy, Germany, Poland, Serbia and the UK we created ‘living bus shelters’, covered in plants.

GLOBAL DIGITAL SALES 139% ABOVE TARGET

Our approach resonated strongly with our sustainability-aware Gen Z audience and sales went through the roof.

• Online global digital sales were 139% above target

• Purchase intent increased by 6% in Europe

• Interest in the product surged, with a 57% increase in search volume in Europe during the campaign

• Perception of adidas as being a leader in sustainable innovation increased ahead of Nike by 7%

• Awareness of the core ‘always iconic, now more sustainable’ message increased by 24%