Present a comparative business history of two firms - Adidas & Nike in respect to their rivalry
Abstract
In my essay I introduce the topic by presenting a brief history of the beginnings of each of the two firms. Adidas originating in Germany and Nike originating in America. I then go on to introduce some of the first products the companies made and the technological breakthroughs they respectively made. I then move onto discuss how both of the firms have used well known athletes and celebrities to endorse there products and how this has affected there sales. I identify how advertising has changed over the history of the companies and how it is no longer about marketing the products that they sell. The companies now focus on marketing the brand over the product to improve brand equity. I then talk about how Nike has used ambush marketing to reduce the impact of some of Adidas’ marketing campaigns. I then discuss the flotation of Nike and Adidas on the stock exchange and how the new CEO’s at Adidas have changed the way that the company operates. In conclusion I found that both companies are trying to enter each others market of origin by purchasing a smaller company from there continent, for example Nike purchasing Umbro. I found that Adidas must introduce a pioneering product or the will face the risk of falling further behind to Nike.
Present a comparative business history of two firms - Adidas & Nike in respect to their rivalry
Adidas and Nike are two of largest firms in the sports industry.
“adidas commands nearly a quarter (22 %) of the worldwide athletic footwear and apparel market.”
(Mcafee/ 4/1/10/ [Online])
“adidas trails behind only Nike, which holds a worldwide market share of 33%.”
(Mcafee/ 4/1/10/ [Online])
The two modern giants are at the forefront of many technological advances in sports attire and hardware. The competition