The Drum Awards for Marketing - Extended Deadline

-d -h -min -sec

Creative Coronavirus

Adidas: 'We have to be creative about how we're taking care of each other'

Author

By Charlotte McEleny, Asia Editor

April 28, 2020 | 6 min read

Adidas Singapore has made its training apps free for citizens going without access to gyms or classes under lockdown, as it finds new ways to "take care" of its customers.

adidas home team campaign triptych

Adidas Singapore says that brands must support communities under lockdown.

The sports giant has removed the financial barrier of using its Adidas Training and Adidas Running apps and has launched a campaign called the '#HomeTeam' initiative, to help people stay active while staying at home.

Petr Stastny, country manager at Adidas Singapore, says, “Now, more than ever, we have to be creative about how we're taking care of each other and ourselves, and Adidas is here to do just that.”

The brand is providing users that sign up before the end of April free access for 90 days, to help people stay active even though their gyms and sports facilities have been closed as part of Singapore's coronavirus circuit breaker or other lockdown measures by governments.

“With #HomeTeam, we aim to help the community stay connected and hopeful, keep moving and maintain healthy in body and mind. Extending free premium access to our Adidas Training and Adidas Running apps globally is part of our efforts in helping individuals and families keep healthy physically while staying at home during this time.

“The health and wellness of our community is our top priority; and with a variety of easily-accessible at-home workouts and nutrition guides, we want to help everyone achieve their various fitness goals even while staying at home. Gyms may be closed and fitness classes on hold, but that does not mean that we stop moving,” explains Stastny.

The brand is also creating lockdown content, extending its remit beyond athletics and sport and delving into more creative types of workout content in partnership with its creators and ambassadors.

“Beyond this, in partnership with our athletes and creators, we are rolling out free virtual experiences across social and digital channels to support the community as they stay active, practise mindfulness, learn, seek entertainment and stay connected. In addition to live workouts and nutrition tips, there will be live DJ streams, lunchtime jams and inspirational content for our community to stay mentally strong, inspired, creative and hopeful,” he explains.

Leveraging on its creator and athlete community was an impactful quick win for the brand, as it prioritises creativity for the collective good.

“Now, more than ever, our priority is to support the community, and we will continue to do so with our resources and expertise. Rallying our team of athletes and creators to share their skills, training and advice to help the community through this difficult time in the little ways that they know-how, is our first step in creating change for the collective good,” he adds.

Early data from activity in March shows that people are responding well to brands launching such initiatives. Statsny says the brand had over half a million people taking part in its ‘Fit From Home’ campaign in March.

“To encourage the community to stay active, we also launched a ‘Fit From Home’ Challenge in March, where anyone from around the world could join in and help to achieve a collective goal of staying active: 1 million workout hours by 19 April. We saw over half a million participants. It is heartening to know that many are still engaging virtually with one another and prioritising their physical health and wellness during this time,” he says.

Some brands had been wary of marketing around coronavirus when it first hit earlier this year, but as governments around the world increase quarantine measures, it became clear that brands had to quickly adapt their marketing and, in some cases, business models.

For Stastny, it is important that brands support communities, particularly during trying times. Adidas, he says, has been relying on its mantra of ‘stronger, together’.

“It is critical that brands create positive change within the community – there is no time like now to extend our support. With '#HomeTeam' and by extending free premium access to the apps, we hope to take care of the community in body and mind. Adidas will continue to work together to identify solutions to meet the most urgent and pressing needs during this crisis. Together is how we will get through this, and we will emerge stronger, together,” he says.

As more brands pivot marketing and advertising strategies around the pandemic, The Drum wants readers to nominate the best responses. You can have your say here.

Creative Coronavirus

Content created with:

Adidas

Find out more

More from Creative

View all

Trending

Industry insights

View all
Add your own content +