Success Factors and Market Recession of Adidas: An Analytical Study

Adidas is a globally renowned German sportswear company founded by Adolf Dassler in 1949. The brand is distinguished by its iconic three-stripe logo and its product portfolio encompasses athletic footwear, apparel, and accessories. As a leading global manufacturer of sports goods, Adidas not only supplies equipment for professional athletes but is also deeply integrated into streetwear culture and daily life. Its diverse offerings include the classic Originals series, represented by the trefoil logo, and the performance-oriented performance line. Furthermore, the company consistently enhances its global influence through designer collaborations and sponsorships of major sporting events, such as the FIFA World Cup. This study addresses three core questions: How Adidas became a successful sports company? What strategy and strengths are worthy of learning from entrepreneurs? And Why is Adidas currently in decline? To answer these questions, the sports industry is analyzed using Porter's Five Forces model; Data analysis methods were used to analyze the Adidas's current situation; the Business Model Canvas is utilized to gain insights into Adidas' opportunities and threats; and case analysis is employed to determine the reasons for Adidas' success and decline. This research aims to identify the drivers of Adidas's historical success for entrepreneurs to learn from, and to explore the causes of its current decline to help entrepreneurs avoid similar pitfalls.