Introduction
SPORT PERFORMANCE · RUN · BIKE · SNOW
Since 2017, ECHOS has served as the North American agency of record for adidas Sport Eyewear. In 2022, our role expanded globally, overseeing partner agencies and PR operations across Germany, Italy, France, and Spain.
From low awareness in a competitive eyewear market in USA and Europe to a global performance accessory brand, we launched adidas Sport Eyewear by highlighting technical design, fit, and performance-ready craftsmanship. By bridging the gap between technical innovation and elite-level validation, we secured dominant coverage in outdoor, sport, and lifestyle media, capitalizing on the global running trend and the prestige of world-class competition.
Services provided:
– Global Communications Strategy & Positioning
– Elite Athlete Relations & Seeding (Olympic & UTMB Terrex)
– Product Launch PR & Event Activations
– Influencer Marketing & Partnerships
– Multi-Market PR Strategy (US, FR, DE, ES, IT, UK)
– Content-Driven Marketing (Visual Storytelling)
The Challenge:
Despite adidas’ iconic brand strength, adidas Sport Eyewear had limited visibility and was a niche product within the broader active lifestyle and performance eyewear market. The team needed to increase awareness and drive sales in core categories, including running, cycling, and snow sports, while differentiating adidas Sport as a high-performance eyewear brand rather than a lifestyle accessory.
Approach
We developed a global narrative emphasizing performance, fit, lightweight design, and technical innovation, positioning adidas Sport Eyewear as competition-ready gear.
A cornerstone of this strategy was a rigorous athlete relations program, seeding technical frames to UTMB Terrex trail runners, Olympic athletes, and mainstream sport stars to provide ultimate performance validation.
We activated an integrated program across six key global markets, utilizing hyper-localized PR strategies to ensure regional resonance:
– USA: Focused on “Tech-First” authority in endurance hubs like Boulder and Sedona.
– France: Leveraged “Home Court” prestige at the Chamonix UTMB and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
– Germany: Highlighted engineering and innovation for the sustainability-conscious DACH market.
– Italy & Spain: Capitalized on deep-rooted cycling culture and the “Sport-as-Fashion” intersection.
– UK: Tapped into the booming London run club culture and “all-weather” performance.
Content-driven storytelling was central: visually rich campaigns, photography, and video highlighted hero styles such as DUNAMIS and CMPT 3D, demonstrating performance in real-world conditions. These efforts positioned adidas Sport Eyewear in spaces where competition had previously struggled to gain traction, building credibility across active lifestyle, outdoor, and sport categories.
Key results:
– 650 press hits and 1,572 social posts across six global markets
– 1.99 billion potential audience reach
– Elite Validation: Successful seeding and high-visibility placement on athletes at the UTMB podium and the 2024 Paris Olympics
– 103 million aggregate social media followers from influencer and athlete posts
– 4 million print readers reached
– Consistent media coverage across North America, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, and the UK
– adidas Sport Eyewear recognized as a high-performance, competition-ready accessory in run, bike, and snow
Highlight coverage:
– The Podium Effect: Secured organic visibility on mainstream sport athletes and Olympic competitors, driving “seen-on-stage” credibility
– Localized Authority: Top outdoor, sport, and lifestyle publications in all 6 regions previously untapped by competitive brands
– Influencer Endorsements: High-impact partnerships across global sport and lifestyle hubs
– Multi-day Activations: Immersive experiences in the Dolomites, Chamonix, and Paris elevating brand positioning globally
