The power of joy as a PR catalyst. The Superstar Concha leveraged the vibrancy of Mexican humor to turn traditional PR on its head. By engaging creators to craft content infused with fun and levity, the campaign ignited a wave of consumer-generated content, each piece serving as its own micro PR event. This innovative approach bypassed conventional media saturation, driving the narrative virally and creating a PR triumph that reshaped the conversation around an iconic sneaker. It was humor and cultural authenticity that transformed the Superstar Concha into a phenomenon across PR in Mexico.

Historically adidas has excelled at engaging and resonating with diverse cultures globally. However, a challenge arose in Mexico with the Superstar, a +50 year old iconic sneaker franchise which has significantly lost its energy within a new consumer generation impacting its demand in the past 3 years (*).

In Mexico people affectionately called them "adidas Concha" due to the resemblance of the sneaker toe to a “Shell” or “Concha” in Spanish. In fact, “adidas Concha” is the 4th most searched term in adidas Mexico website.

This connection was further emphasized by the beloved Mexican Concha sweet bread (named after its shell/concha shape), deeply entrenched in the nation's culinary landscape. Mexicans consume an average of 30 kilos of bread per year and Conchas are undoubtedly the most iconic, #1 in popularity and consumption, to a point of having their very own National Day.

Additionally, Mexico's humor played a crucial role into the insight process acting as a language in itself. Mexicans adeptly used humor to navigate situations and to showcase their patriotism with levity.

Recognizing Mexico City as one it’s most important markets worldwide, adidas realized the need for a special connection with the Mexican market to reenergize the Superstar. This led to a deeper engagement strategy aimed at forging a meaningful relationship with consumers. Thus, the "adidas Superstar Concha" was born, embodying the culture and humor that resonated with Mexican consumers within a hyper local product.

(*) Additional business and brand data at “Confidential information” section.

SITUATION: Ever since its debut, the adidas Superstar has been an iconic shoe and one of the company’s best sellers. However, in México it has lost relevance, mainly with a younger consumer, experiencing a decrease in demand (*) over the past years.

BRIEF: Positioning the Superstar as a cool shoe for a new generation in Mexico, regaining its place on the culture and streets through a hyper local approach to product and communication, leveraging in the power of young people’s creativity and conversation.

OBJECTIVES: Increase Superstar franchise demand and mitigate the gap of brand consideration versus main competitor in lifestyle segment.

(*) Additional business and brand data at “Confidential information” section.

The Superstar Conchas campaign reimagined PR in a fashion world desensitized by constant new releases. By delving into the cultural duality of 'Concha', adidas ignited a creative storytelling movement. The sneaker's shell-toe design, reminiscent of the cherished Concha sweet bread, offered a playful angle that was uniquely Mexican.

Strategically engaging influencers known for their humor, the campaign launched with stories steeped in local traditions and aesthetics, challenging the typical PR narrative. As these creators broadcasted their inventive perspectives, they spurred consumers to become narrators of their own experiences, turning individual stories into a national conversation.

This organic swell of content drew the spotlight in a saturated market, earning substantial media interest and coverage. It was the blending of culture, humor, and community, catalyzed by the influencers' content, that transformed the Superstar Conchas into a PR triumph—showcasing the sneaker as a cultural icon and demonstrating the impact of culturally-driven PR.

By recognizing that traditional brand-led communications would not suffice to reengage Gen Z and young Millennials, our approach pivoted towards leveraging organic conversations and cultural engagement as the primary distribution mechanism for our message.

This strategy was underpinned by the insight that for PR to resonate, it needed to reflect a genuine cultural phenomenon, fully leveraged the power of content creators in Mexico to put their creativity in favor of the product, playing with it and the culture transcending traditional advertising, becoming a subject that media were naturally drawn to cover.

The distribution leaned heavily on the content generated by creators and consumers, with the media amplifying the organic buzz generated within the community. This strategy ensured that the Superstar Conchas were seen not just as sneakers, but as a pivotal moment in Mexican pop culture, making the PR strategy a cornerstone of the campaign’s success.

On May 2nd, the influencer BerthOh leaks the sneakers, blurring the lines between organic and planned exposure, securing the sneaker/fashion media's attention.

A week later, 84 influencers received the sneakers in unique packaging that mimicked traditional bakery goods. As they started producing content, the story became a phenomenon, with each post serving as a PR beacon drawing more attention.

By May 16th, the anticipation reached its zenith, compelling media across the spectrum to spotlight the product launch. The narrative captured the nation's imagination, making it an irresistible story for PR. This wasn’t about tracking the latest sneaker trend; but a brand integrating into the heart of Mexican culture in unprecedented way.

Every media channel, from niche to mainstream, embraced the story highlighting its uniqueness and cultural significance. This widespread coverage underscored the campaign's success in fostering national conversation, a moment where fashion met cultural heritage in a vibrant, shared experience.

+950 media articles, +480M earned media impressions

USD 2.2M ad value

More than 700 social media posts, +320M organic impressions, +200M organic video views (no media investment)

Superstar Conchas sold out in 1 week (5x faster than forecasted)

#1 best seller product in Latin America during the launch week

+7p.p in brand consideration (Kantar Brand Health Tracker, Q3 2023)

(*) Additional business and brand results at “Confidential information” section.