The First Running Shoe Made From Data
Adidas disruptive innovation that changes the shoe game
The Miracle Of Bern
It was 1954 when Adidas became known all over the world. The German National team had just been crowned World Champion. Germany came back from a 2:0 deficit and won the game 3:2 against a seemingly unbeatable Hungarian squad. It was a real-life David versus Goliath story, and everybody sympathized with the hard-working German team that defeated the almighty Goliath.
Guess what shoes the winning Germans wore? Adidas. Myths started that these new shoes from the small city of Herzogenaurach gave this legendary team an advantage. Adidas had developed exchangeable cleats that could adapt to different pitch conditions. For those of you who are wondering, they originally designed the iconic three stripes to stabilize the foot.
The historical success of Adidas has always been due to its innovative shoes. The shoes became popular among athletes because everybody wanted the best performing shoe. However, in modern times, the battleground has shifted to another area: Marketing.
For decades, Adidas has been trying to take the crown away from the undisputed shoe champion Nike. Sure, they have made progress, they even snatched Kanye away from the swoosh, but they still…
