Adidas’s strategy to strengthen its brand: increasing marketing and advertising investment by 30%
Ayer, 16:26
adidas allocated 924 million euros to marketing and point-of-sale activities during the second quarter of 2026, a period marked by the World Cup and the rollout of the most successful campaign in the company’s history.
Advertising investment increased 29.8%, equivalent to an additional 212 million euros, compared with the 712 million spent between April and June 2025. As a share of sales, this spending rose from 12% to 13.7% in one year.
The German group concentrated resources on global campaigns, fan events, in-store activations, digital content, cultural collaborations and tournament-related launches. The strategy helped adidas achieve the highest quarterly sales in its history, although it also limited operating profit growth.
Revenue reached 6.743 billion euros, an increase of 14% on a currency-neutral basis. Operating profit, by contrast, rose only 5% to 574 million euros, while the operating margin declined from 9.2% to 8.5%.
READ ALSO. Bjørn Gulden, CEO of Adidas, on the company’s sales: “This World Cup was like a fairy tale for me”
How much did adidas invest in marketing during the World Cup?
Marketing and point-of-sale expenses increased across all markets during the second quarter. adidas used the World Cup as a platform to promote its soccer products and strengthen the brand’s global positioning.
| Metric | Q2 2026 | Q2 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing and point of sale | 924 million euros | 712 million euros | 29.8% |
| Marketing as a percentage of sales | 13.7% | 12% | 1.7 percentage points |
| Net sales | 6.743 billion euros | 5.952 billion euros | 13.3% |
| Operating profit | 574 million euros | 546 million euros | 5.1% |
| Operating margin | 8.5% | 9.2% | -0.7 percentage points |
Investment grew at a faster pace than sales. While reported revenue increased 13.3%, the budget allocated to marketing and point-of-sale activities rose by nearly 30%.
adidas defended this spending as an investment aimed at strengthening the brand and extending growth beyond the World Cup.
What was adidas’ campaign during the World Cup?
One of the central pieces was “Backyard Legends”, a campaign inspired by the way soccer is played in streets, neighborhoods and everyday spaces.
The strategy brought together sports and cultural figures such as:
- Lionel Messi.
- Lamine Yamal.
- Jude Bellingham.
- Trinity Rodman.
- Timothée Chalamet.
- Bad Bunny.
adidas said the campaign revived the emotional connection with the way many people first became involved with soccer, away from major stadiums and before becoming fans or professional athletes.
The campaign was distributed through digital platforms, outdoor advertising, retail stores and content produced around key moments of the tournament.
adidas surpasses 9 billion views
The World Cup campaigns generated more than 9 billion views and surpassed 400 million interactions across adidas’ digital ecosystem.
The company described the rollout as the most successful campaign in its history. The results reflected a strategy that combined global reach with activations tailored to different markets.
Instead of relying on a single international advertising piece, adidas produced content focused on national teams, players, fans, products and cultural moments. This structure allowed it to react to developments in the matches and extend the conversation throughout the tournament.
Argentina and Spain reaching the final increased the company’s exposure. Both national teams wore adidas kits and were commercially led by Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal.
The match was also played with Trionda, adidas’ official ball, while referees wore uniforms featuring the brand’s three stripes for the first time.
What did adidas do besides buying advertising?
The investment was not limited to ads in traditional media and digital platforms. adidas allocated resources to local events, fan experiences, retail activations, real-time content and temporary stores.
The “adidas Home of Soccer” fan zones welcomed more than 250,000 visitors across different cities. The company used these spaces to broadcast matches, showcase products and connect its collections with the World Cup experience.
The investor presentation highlighted activities in cities such as New York, Bangkok, Sydney, Seoul, Tokyo, Barcelona and Mexico City.
In Mexico, adidas held a World Cup launch event and an activation at the World Trade Center. The company also used the competition to promote Willy Chavarria x FMF, a streetwear collection inspired by Mexican soccer heritage.
The company opened temporary stores related to the tournament and increased staffing in stores and warehouses to meet demand.
Soccer becomes the biggest winner from advertising spending
adidas soccer sales increased 74% on a currency-neutral basis during the second quarter. It was the fastest-growing category within the company’s sports portfolio.
The business was boosted by home and away kits for 14 national teams, pre-match apparel, balls, footwear and cultural collections.
adidas also brought back historic jerseys from different national teams. Its launches included Denim 94, a collection inspired by the denim kit worn by the United States at the 1994 World Cup.
The company said retro products ranked among its most successful apparel launches of the season.
| Sports category | Change in Q2 2026 |
|---|---|
| Soccer | 74% |
| Motorsport | 69% |
| Running | 28% |
| Training | 7% |
| Specialist sports | 4% |
| US Sports | -4% |
| Golf | -10% |
| Basketball | -21% |
The overall Performance business grew 39%, while Lifestyle increased only 2%.
Apparel benefits from the World Cup momentum
The apparel division recorded growth of 35% on a currency-neutral basis, compared with a 1% increase in footwear and 20% growth in accessories.
Apparel revenue reached 2.721 billion euros, 692 million more than a year earlier on a reported basis.
| Product | Q2 2026 Sales | Currency-neutral growth |
|---|---|---|
| Apparel | 2.721 billion euros | 35% |
| Footwear | 3.492 billion euros | 1% |
| Accessories | 530 million euros | 20% |
adidas attributed the apparel performance to its World Cup collections, growth in Originals and stronger demand for running, training, motorsport and US sports products.
The company also expanded its local design strategy. Some of the new collections were developed according to the cultural preferences of each market, allowing the company to refresh products and respond more quickly to trends.
Marketing also strengthens direct sales
Company-owned stores and e-commerce were among the other beneficiaries of the advertising investment.
The direct-to-consumer channel grew 25% on a currency-neutral basis and generated 2.909 billion euros. E-commerce increased 27%, while company-owned retail stores grew 23%.
DTC accounted for approximately 43% of quarterly sales. Wholesale contributed the remaining 57% and grew 6%.
The increase in direct sales was widespread. North America led growth with 39%, followed by Latin America at 37%. Japan and South Korea grew 25%; emerging markets, 24%; China, 22%; and Europe, 12%.
Direct sales allow adidas to exercise greater control over pricing, inventory, collection visibility and the consumer experience.
Advertising spending limits operating profit growth
adidas reported operating profit of 574 million euros, 5% higher than the 546 million recorded a year earlier.
Growth was considerably lower than the increase in sales, mainly because of resources allocated to marketing, distribution and direct channels.
Total operating expenses increased 17% to 2.983 billion euros. In addition to advertising investment, adidas faced higher costs from e-commerce shipping, staffing in stores and warehouses, logistics infrastructure and temporary stores.
The operating margin declined 0.7 percentage points to 8.5%.
However, the gross margin improved from 51.7% to 52.5%, thanks to a higher proportion of full-price sales and a more favorable channel mix.
adidas will maintain its investment after the World Cup
The company raised its full-year outlook and now expects 2026 sales to grow between 9% and 10% on a currency-neutral basis, compared with its previous estimate of high-single-digit growth. The operating profit outlook remained at around 2.3 billion euros.
adidas explained that it will continue investing in marketing and sales to sustain growth beyond the World Cup. Resources will be allocated to team and athlete sponsorships, sports and cultural events, product launches, retailer relationships and meeting demand across direct channels.
The decision means the company will prioritize growth and brand relevance, even if some of the spending continues to put pressure on the operating margin in the short term.
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