adidas co-branded a new shoe in partnership with a legendary Dubai restaurant.
Objective
adidas set specific quantifiable objectives for its "Superstar Ravi" campaign:
Context
In previous years, adidas had already connected in a meaningful way with the Dubai and the UAE audience through diversity and inclusion-based initiatives like "The Liquid Billboard," the first swimable billboard, which encouraged women to feel comfortable in the water regardless of their ethnicity, religion, shape, or physical ability. However, the Superstar Ravi campaign was a new endeavor. adidas had never before collaborated with the Ravi restaurant, something the brand aimed to do to surprise its audience and make a difference.
The common thread was the commitment of adidas to involve real people and infuse an authentic spirit into its initiatives.
Target Audience
The target audience for this campaign included:
Food and sneaker enthusiasts were also a target audience.
In essence, the audience comprised residents, enthusiasts, and influential individuals who appreciated authenticity and cultural connections in the diverse landscape of Dubai; of course, adidas also wanted this activation to trickle down to the rest of the world — to potential and current fans of adidas and sneakers in general.
Creative and Media Strategy
The creative strategy celebrated authenticity and cultural connections through the "Superstar Ravi's" sneakers, a collaboration with Ravi Restaurant, a local legend and culinary gem founded in 1978 in the oldest part of the town.
The media strategy engaged the diverse audience: hyperlocal events for direct community engagement, influencers to amplify, press engagement to generate anticipation, a Dubai Mall store release for broad reach, and a unique coffee table book serving as a gift. These channel choices aligned with the campaign's objectives, resonating with both sneaker enthusiasts and those passionate about local culture.
The campaign demonstrated a high level of creativity and sophistication in its use of channels. It integrated online and offline elements, leveraged social media, e-commerce, influencer marketing, content creation, data analytics, and personalization to engage its target audience authentically, achieving results that might not have been possible through traditional marketing channels alone.
The location to introduce the Superstar Ravi's was none other than the very restaurant that sparked its creation. Nestled in an aged, bustling neighborhood, far from the dwellings of influencers, it was the ideal setting to unveil adidas' most authentic sneakers.
adidas extended invitations to Ravi's friends, family, local community members, press representatives, and a curated selection of influencers who held a genuine affection for both adidas and Ravi. An exclusive raffle was organized for adiClub members, granting lucky winners a chance to attend the event and be among the first to acquire the sneakers.
The restaurant was transformed with immersive Superstar Ravi branding, as guests indulged in an informal dinner featuring Ravi's signature dishes. Rather than employing models, adidas engaged Ravi's own staff, who not only donned the sneakers but also sported a special uniform tailored for the occasion.
A week ahead of the event, adidas sent the sneakers to press and influencers, who showcased the Superstar Ravi's upon arrival. This synchronicity of style among attendees lent an elegant coherence to the event.
adidas's collaboration extended to the talented up-and-coming photographer, Bilal Bashir, who captured the core campaign visuals at Ravi's Restaurant. These visuals subsequently adorned press materials and various social media platforms.
Within two days of the event, the official sneaker release occurred at the adidas store in Dubai Mall. In collaboration with Dubai-based food enthusiast and creative Misbah Chowdhury, adidas curated an exclusive coffee table book narrating Ravi's story.
In 2021, sales in EMEA increased 24 percent on a currency-neutral basis and 23 percent in euro terms to €7.760 billion from €6.308 billion in 2020. The currency-neutral increase was driven by exceptional growth in Performance and strong double-digit growth in Lifestyle. The same year adidas also introduced its new strategy "Own the Game" to strengthen the credibility of the adidas brand. One of the strategies was to build direct relationships with its target audience to put the consumer at the heart of everything adidas did, and the Superstar Ravi campaign was born from that philosophy.
The campaign achieved its goals and exceeded expectations:
