DDB on localising adidas Originals: “We Gave the World an Original, It Gives Us a Thousand Back”
In the bustling streets of Hong Kong, a remarkable transformation is taking place as adidas Originals evolves from sport to culture. The cultural shift, in part engineered by an ongoing Adidas campaign, is now striking a chord with audiences worldwide.
LBB caught up with some creative minds behind this narrative: Felix Fong, DDB Hong Kong head of digital, and Cherry Wong, DDB Hong Kong creative director. The pair shed light on the campaign's creative journey, deep connection with Hong Kong's diverse subcultures, and the unique approach of partnering with local artists and businesses.
The team also reveals their strategies for authenticity and the anticipated impact of this local initiative.
LBB> The adidas Originals campaign celebrates the brand’s evolution from sport to culture. Can you elaborate on the creative process of showcasing this evolution, and why did you choose Hong Kong as the location for this unique campaign?
Felix> Working with a brand born from sport and has always been in the backyard of culture, we understand adidas’ legendary heritage and its’ cultural influence today are precious assets to reintroduce the brand. Inspired by the global tagline “we gave the world an original, it gives us a thousand back”, we have coined the term “Original Spirit” (原創魂) in Chinese to illustrate how such legacy can be passed on to local individuals and communities. Telling the authentic stories of the athletes, artists, and neighbourhoods also brings out how “classics” can still be relevant in present-day cultural scenes. Hong Kong was naturally included as a market to localise the global campaign, as there is a strong brand following here with uniquely local expressions.
LBB> The campaign emphasises the connection between adidas Originals and various subcultures in Hong Kong. How did you identify and select these subcultures, and what criteria did you use to ensure they authentically represent the brand?
Felix> Thanks to the brand’s rich history and stories, it was somewhat effortless for us to identify and select music, dance, sport and street art as the backdrop of the campaign. The actual brand love from these communities enables the campaign to be relevant in a very organic and authentic way. Each of the three shoe models in focus - Samba, Gazelle, and Superstar - has found popularity beyond their original sporting purposes.
LBB> Could you share some specific examples of how these shoes have become iconic within Hong Kong’s skateboarding, breakdancing, and hip-hop communities?
Felix> There is already a lot of history in these subcultures. adidas Hong Kong has always been a big supporter of local cultural communities, sponsoring skateboard and hip-hop activities and even breakdancing athletes to join overseas competitions. As stated in one of the campaign videos, B-Boy C Plus, representing Hong Kong in the Asian Games, had Gazelle as his first pair of dance shoes. Also, characteristics of the boots lend themselves to specific activities, so the Samba, as an example, a shoe designed to be suitable for footwork skills, is naturally loved in skateboarding communities.
LBB> Partnering with speciality stores and interest representatives is a unique approach. How did you establish these partnerships, and how do they contribute to fostering original self-expression among consumers?
Cherry> It’s an exciting experience to partner with fellow store owners and representatives, who co-created with us some truly Originals brand experiences, e.g. the curated vinyl blind box collection from White Noise Records, specially designed skateboards from Psyroot Store, and the sneaker graffiti from Uncle @AWS. We believe they serve as some demonstration of how “Original Spirit” can be interpreted, encouraging consumers to express their original selves too freely. Together, they form an Original neighbourhood to engage the local audience. The campaign includes various experiences, such as pop-up venues, Gatcha machine giveaways, and promotional posters.
LBB> Can you provide more details on how these elements engage consumers and encourage them to embrace their originality?
Cherry> To show how “Original Spirit” translates from global to local, online to offline, we devised an idea to take over the local neighbourhood by putting on street promotional posters, painting graffiti on shop gates, and working with speciality stores, turning them into pop-up venues. Gotcha machine (with tattoo and skateboard stickers), Vinyl blind boxes, a unique burger set, and a limited edition skateboard are all Original experiences that consumers can enjoy by taking a Polaroid on site, being recruited as essentially “faces of the campaign,” featured on adidas’ social media.
LBB> Collaboration with local artists and businesses is a significant aspect of the campaign. Could you share the process of selecting these collaborators and how their involvement adds depth to the campaign’s message?
Felix> While other brands used to dictate what they are for, Adidas Originals is a brand that lets people freely express themselves. And it’s always the people who give the brand a role in culture. Such brand belief has inspired us a lot in choosing the faces of the campaign. While there are specific big faces featured in the global assets (David Beckham, Blackpink’s Jennie Kim, Jenna Ortega, etc.), we intended to pick some refreshing faces that can best represent Hong Kong’s subcultural scenes. Adding the specialty store owners as faces of “1000 Originals” offers an exciting perspective to tell the true stories of local interest communities and neighbourhoods, encouraging authentic self-expression.
LBB> What were some challenges in localising a global movement, and how did you ensure it resonated with the Hong Kong audience?
Felix> Achieving authentic relevancy is always challenging in localising a campaign. Translating the idea of “1000 Originals” to “Original Spirit” (原創魂) helped us by grounding the concept locally. It was then an important task to articulate the “Original Spirit” with the right voices and faces, i.e., identifying the right communities, connecting to the right cultures, and telling the correct stories.
LBB> Could you discuss the role of authenticity in this campaign? How did you ensure that the campaign genuinely connected with the skateboarding, hip-hop, and dance communities in Hong Kong?
Cherry> Authenticity is vital as it sets the tone of this campaign. It is the common language our ambassadors and consumers speak. Generally, the social response is highly favourable in these spaces, reflecting the genuine connection between the brand and various subculture communities. We knew we were in the right places when we realised how happy everyone we approached was to be working with the brand.
LBB> In the rapidly changing landscape of fashion and culture, how does this campaign contribute to adidas Originals’ continued relevance and resonance with consumers?
Felix> As a brand reset campaign, we aim to highlight how the “Original Spirit”, deeply rooted in our heritage, is ever-evolving. Featuring different individuals and communities and even recruiting consumers to be faces of the campaign is a way to show how the brand’s cultural influence is ever-growing.
LBB> Finally, what are your expectations for the impact of this campaign in Hong Kong, and how do you measure the success of such a unique and localised initiative?
Felix> We hope that not only do consumers get a better understanding of what the brand stands for, but they can also feel they are part of the 1000 Originals, embracing their very own “Original Spirit” through self-expression in fashion and lifestyle. From the positive response and participation rate of brand experiences so far, we are confident this campaign will be well received by Hong Kong people.
