adidas unveils the next chapter of its brand campaign as it continues its ambition to help athletes at all levels to disarm negative pressure in sport. Against the backdrop of the sporting spectacle in Paris this summer, the campaign amplifies the importance of self-belief, showcasing how those at the top of their game channel it to encourage the next generation of athletes to follow suit.
The campaign comes at a time when self-belief at grassroots level is falling, with adidas’ research showing 1 in 5 everyday athletes think ‘they’re not good at sport’, seeing it as a barrier to playing sport. This figure increases even more to 1 in 4 people from under-served communities.
To help combat this growing issue, adidas’ latest campaign, alongside its ongoing global partnerships and programmes including adidas Arena, adidas GROUNDPARIS, Breaking Barriers, Gol De Letras and Boys & Girls Clubs of America, aim to help disarm negative pressure by demonstrating the power of self-belief, which has been shown to boost performance in sport.
To understand how pressure can be disarmed from grassroot to elite level through self-belief, adidas has partnered with Chartered Sport and Exercise Psychologist, Dr Josephine Perry, who says “For athletes, there is no greater stage than the Summer Games. However, the occasion naturally comes with a multitude of pressures. Research indicates that athletes face up to 93 different pressures3, all of which they strive to overcome to achieve peak performance – especially when it matters the most. Techniques to develop self-belief, courage, and confidence can significantly mitigate these pressures, helping athletes to achieve success all the way from grassroot to elite level.”
adidas is acknowledging this by unveiling a new brand film that headlines the campaign, featuring icons from its global family who are preparing to go for gold. Spotlighting Sasha Zhoya, Sümeyye Boyaci and Noah Lyles – amongst others – it showcases how each harness their inner self-belief and confidence to overcome pressure during high-stake moments in their respective sports. A story narrated by the athletes themselves, it serves as a reminder for all, from amateur to elite level, just how integral belief is, echoed by the brand’s positive rallying cry You Got This.
Through a series of dynamic scenes, against the soundtrack of Queen ft. David Bowie’s iconic Under Pressure, USA Sprinter and current fastest man in the world, Noah Lyles, powerfully explodes from the blocks into a full sprint, whilst Kenyan marathon world record holder Peres Jepchirchir seamlessly takes the distance, French hurdler Sasha Zhoya implements his inch-perfect technique as he soars over a hurdle with ease and Turkish Paralympic swimmer Sümeyye Boyaci slices through the water when powering down the swim lane.
Meanwhile, Chinese breaker, B-Girl 671 rhythmically glides across the floor in her unique breaking style, Team GB’s rising star Kieran Reilly hangs suspended in mid-air before landing perfectly balanced on his BMX and Brazilian skateboarder Felipe Gustavo remains unphased as he effortlessly clears a set of stairs with a kickflip – all illustrating what can be unlocked when charged with self-belief and the confidence to tackle pressure face on.
Speaking ahead of competing at Paris 2024, Noah Lyles, USA Sprinter, says: “This summer I’m going to win 3 gold medals in the 100m, 200m & 4×100 meters. Of course, it won’t be easy but that’s half the fun. I love the biggest moments, they feel like a stage to show the world all the work and passion I have put into myself and my craft. So, it doesn’t matter if the moment is big, it’s just another chance to shine! Because the moment isn’t bigger than me, it was made for me!”
Speaking on the next chapter of the brand campaign, Florian Alt, VP of Global Brand Comms at adidas said: “The summer games is the pinnacle stage for the world’s best athletes, so we want to celebrate them, while showcasing what is possible for our new guard of athletes. This campaign continues our mission to showcase how universal pressure is – we all feel it – even those with years of experience and who’ve achieved gold. However, we also know a crucial factor to overcoming it is self-belief and reminding yourself, ‘You Got This’. We hope this encourages all those participating in sport to realize they’re good enough and that self-belief and enjoying sport as it was when you started is the most important step to achieving your possibilities on the field.”
As part of its ambition to create a legacy after the games, adidas supports several programmes designed to increase access and help instil self-belief, including adidas Arena, adidas GROUNDPARIS, Breaking Barriers, Gol De Letras and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Visit adidas. com to explore more about the campaign and stay tuned for updates at instagram.com/adidas, and tiktok.com/adidas.
