Adolf Dassler born on November 3, 1900 in the small Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach. His mother was a laundress, and his father was a baker. Adi, as Adolf was called in family circle, grew up as a quiet boy. When he was 14 years old, Germany began the First World War, but Adi did not go to the front due to his youth. He didn't want to go there. His passion was football, which was just then becoming the most popular game in Europe. In 1918, the war ended with the defeat of Germany. Devastation and inflation reigned in the country, and millions of soldiers returning from the front joined the army of unemployed. Bad times have come for the Dassler family. Having worked at odd jobs, at the beginning of 1920 the Dasslers at a family council decided to organize a family business - shoe sewing.

The Dasslers approached the implementation of the idea with German thoroughness. The mother's laundry room was given over to the shoe workshop. The inventive Adi converted a bicycle into a machine for cutting skins. His sisters and mother made patterns from canvas. Adi, his older brother Rudolf (or Rudi in the family) and his father cut shoes.

The first products of the Dassler family were sleeping slippers. The material for them was decommissioned military uniforms, and the soles were cut from old car tires. Rudy took over the marketing of these conversion products. Adi was involved in organizing production and inventing new models. After four years, twelve workers, including family members, were producing 50 pairs of shoes a day. And in July 1924 they founded the company "Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory."
Both brothers with their opposite personalities complement each other well. If Adi was an inventive and timid intellectual and played football, then Rudi had an explosive character and preferred jazz, sex and boxing to everything else.

By 1925, the company was doing so well that Adi could afford a little imagination. As an avid football player, he came up with and sewed football boots with spikes, which were forged for him by a local blacksmith. Thus, studded sports shoes were born.
The football model turned out to be comfortable and, together with gymnastic slippers, became the main product of the Dasslers. Soon the production no longer fit in the courtyard of their house. In 1927, the Dasslers rented an entire building for their factory. Now the staff has been increased to 25 people, and production has been increased to 100 pairs of shoes per day. Soon the Dasslers bought the rented factory, and the whole family moved to a mansion located not far from it.
Adi no longer remembered that several years ago he was going to become a baker. Now he was completely captivated by the opportunity to make sports shoes and then test them in sports games with his friends. The success of studded football boots inspired Adi to make shoes specifically for the strongest participants in the Olympics. For the first time, athletes performed in studded shoes "Dassler" at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. At the next Olympics in 1932 in Los Angeles, the German Arthur Yonath became third in the 100 meters. But the most successful year for Adi was 1936. His first child was born, and at the Berlin Olympics, the black American runner Jesse Owen, wearing Dassler shoes, won four gold medals and set five world records.

From now on "Dassler" has become an unrecognized standard in sports shoes. The success of Adi's marketing was obvious. In the year of the Berlin Olympics, sales of the Dassler Brothers Factory exceeded DM 400,000. In 1938, the second Dassler factory opened in Herzogenaurach. In total, their company produces 1,000 pairs of shoes every day.
By this point, both Dassler brothers were committed members of the Nazi Party. However, despite this, when World War II began in 1939, the Dassler factories were confiscated by the Nazis and the brothers themselves went to the front. At one of the factories, the Nazis tried to establish the production of hand-held anti-tank grenade launchers. However, the factory equipment was not suitable for such production, so Adi was returned from the army a year later - to produce training shoes for German soldiers.

When Germany lost that war, Adi suffered her share of national disaster. In 1945, Herzogenaurakh fell into the American occupation zone. And while the Dassler factory supplied hockey skates to the United States on indemnity, the Yankees settled comfortably in the family mansion. And Adi’s wife, in order to feed the family, dug up the beds and looked after the livestock herself. But it didn't last long. A year later, the Americans left, and Rudy's brother returned from the prisoner of war camp.

The brothers had to start their family business almost from scratch. Dassler shoes were again made from the remains of military ammunition, and 47 hired workers received wages in kind - firewood and yarn. True, the former understanding between the brothers was no longer there. And in the spring of 1948, shortly after the death of their father, they finally quarreled and decided to split the company. Rudi took over one factory, and Adi took over another. The brothers also agreed not to use the name and symbols of the family enterprise. Adi named his company Addas, and Rudy his - Ruda. But after a few months, Addas turns into Adidas (an abbreviation for Adi Dassler), and Ruda – in Puma. Thus, the then world famous brand, Dassler, ceased to exist.

The brothers themselves remained silent until the end of their days about the reasons for the quarrel. Perhaps Rudi was never able to forgive Adi for not trying to rescue him from the prisoner of war camp after the war, using his acquaintance with American officers. Or maybe they simply could not share their father's inheritance. In any case, after the collapse of the family business, the brothers did not speak to each other, and Puma and Adidas became their fiercest competitors.

Moreover, the feud between the founders of Puma and Adidas spread to their hometown of Herzogenaurach. Each company maintained its own football team in the city, their employees ostentatiously drank different beers, and even the employees' children attended different schools. The headquarters of both companies are still located in Herzogenaurach, the tension between the companies is no longer the same, but as one of the Adidas employees says - “Now of course we talk to each other, but you will never see me in their shoes.” .

After parting with his brother, Adi became the sole owner of his own company. Now he did not need to consult anyone. Taking advantage of this “permissiveness”, a year later he “slightly” violated the agreement with his brother - not to use the symbols of the “Dassler Factory”. Adi took two stripes from the Dassler emblem, added a third to them and patented the resulting ones as the “Adidas” symbol. In order not to allow his brother to bypass him, Adi takes up his favorite thing - invention. In 1949 he creates the first boots with removable rubber studs. In 1950 - football boots, adapted for playing football in adverse weather conditions: on snow and frozen ground. At the same time, he recalls all the old connections with the national Olympic committees. At the Helsinki Olympics in 1952, most athletes no longer wore Dassler shoes but Adidas.

At the same Olympics, Adi came up with the idea of ​​offering athletes other products under the Adidas brand. The first attempt at diversification was production, which began a few months later. sports bags. And although sneakers remain the main production, Adi is looking for a partner who will take over manufacture of wearing apparel. By chance, at some party, Adi met the owner of a textile factory, Willy Seltenreich. After drinking together, Adi ordered him a thousand tracksuits with three stripes along the sleeves. The product went well, and the partners liked each other so much that Seltenreich soon began sewing only for Adidas.

Year after year, shoes from Adi Dassler became more and more technically and technologically complex. Some competitors have even begun to focus their advertising on the simplicity of their models and their time-tested nature. But in 1952 at the Olympic Games in Helsinki, Emil Zatopek in sports Adidas shoes wins three gold medals within a week. He wins the 5,000 meters, 10,000 meters and the marathon. An achievement unsurpassed to this day. Zatopek's wife, meanwhile, wins the javelin throwing competition. And in 1954, innovative Adidas shoes were out of competition at the World Football Championship - the German national team, wearing Adidas, became the world football champion for the first time. The nation was delighted - the Germans became winners for the first time since World War II. Adi was personally present at the decisive matches in Bern. Under his leadership, before each game, football players' boots were adapted to the ground and weather conditions using new removable stud technology. This victory gave Adi the idea place advertisements directly in stadiums. In 1956, he signed an agreement with the IOC to advertise Adidas at the Olympic Games in Melbourne. At the same time, he begins international expansion in production - Adi signs first license agreement with a Norwegian factory in Gjorvik, Adidas soon began to be produced in France. The “golden age” of Adidas is coming - at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, most athletes rely on Adidas sports shoes. Wilma Rudolph wins three gold medals in the sprint, despite suffering from polio in childhood, approximately the same thing happens four years later in Tokyo, and in 1968 in Mexico City, athletes equipped with Adidas win 37 gold, 35 silver and 35 bronze medals. In 1972, Adidas became the title sponsor of the Olympic Games in Munich, and the German national team became the European Football Champion. Two years later, German football players became world champions for the second time - and again at Adidas.

In 1975, Adi Dassler became an honorary member of the American Sporting Goods Association - the first among non-Americans.
In 1976, the head of Adidas watched the 400-meter race at the Montreal Olympics on television. Suddenly his attention was drawn to a slight inaccuracy in the movements of the Cuban runner Alberto Juantorena. While running, he barely noticeably bent his foot towards its outer edge. The athlete ran wearing Adidas “Spike” sneakers specially designed for this Olympics with adjustable, removable spikes. Dassler immediately called his Olympic assistant and ordered him to check the athlete's shoes. It turned out that the Cuban, on his own initiative, replaced the spikes with longer ones. Apart from 76-year-old Adolf Dassler, sitting in front of a TV screen thousands of kilometers from Montreal, no one noticed this. The position of the spikes was immediately corrected, and Juantorena won gold in the finals of the 400 and 800 meters. In total, at these Games, athletes equipped with Adidas won 75 gold, 86 silver and 88 bronze medals. The record has not yet been broken.

In 1978, Adolf Dassler dies and management of the company passes to his widow, Katharina. She copes quite successfully with this burden until her own death in 1984. It must be said that she was generally an extraordinary woman; even during the formation of the company, while her husband was creating and understanding the general concepts of production, she essentially performed all the administrative work. After her, the company goes to Horst Dassler, the son of Adi and Katharina. He established strong relationships with the International Olympic Committee and the International Football Federation and tried to make the first reforms in the enterprise. However, the early death of 51-year-old Horst brought changes to the matter. The sisters tried to manage the company, but quickly realized that they did not have the appropriate scope and competence, so in 1989 they sold 80% of their shares for only 440 million German marks to the French entrepreneur Bernard Tapie, then the owner of the French football club Olympique Marseille. And they sold, apparently, on time.
« Suddenly Adidas grew old before his time. They began to perceive it as something boring, utilitarian, something from yesterday that dad puts on when he washes the car in front of the driveway on Sunday morning"- writes Thomas Gad, author of the book 4D Branding. By the 1990s, the situation had become simply catastrophic: losses reached $100 million. Aggressive competitors were breathing in their backs: the American Nike and British Reebok. They were younger, more creative, more interesting. But the main thing is that the world has changed, and with it the market. However, the company's brand itself represented an interesting potential for people who knew that brands can be revived, and a legacy like this does not lie on the road. Since 1993, a new team of specialists began to write new story

The first thing the new management did was lured away from Nike And Reebok a fair number of managers and designers.
Secondly, gradually brought production to an end beyond Germany - now the company, like its main competitors, produces shoes at factories in Indonesia, China, Thailand: saving on cheap labor from third world countries has again made the products competitive in the world market. A whole army of “Adidas” specialists decided to attack not only the professional sports market, but also the mass market involved in the world of real sports. They refused to work with retail chains and started create a network of branded stores, to avoid mass production and overstocking of markets for their products. The results of efforts to create innovative products and a network of branded stores began to be felt already in 1996, when, as it once did, it acted as the general sponsor of the Olympic Games - this stimulated an unprecedented growth in sales: +50% per year. Growth continues to this day, but the most important thing is that it has managed to establish itself in the American market, where it has “bitten off” a share of 12% of the sportswear market and 10% of the sports footwear market. In order to be in the flow of time and find their consumers, managers showed close attention to new sports, for example, they brought streetball to Europe, actively began to work with new youth trends and trends, thanks to which they managed to win the sympathy of American and European hip-hop and rap. culture.

Today it is represented on the market with the widest range of products, starting with basketball shoes and football boots and ending sportswear and footwear for tourism. And in 1997 he bought a French company "Salomon" leading manufacturer of winter sports products, and now the concern is called "Joint stock company "Adidas-Salomon". This move allowed the company to become the world's second largest sports goods manufacturer after Nike. This is how, since the end of the last century, giant concerns have been fighting with varying success for their customers.
inextricably linked with such legendary names (in addition to those mentioned) as Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier, Steffi Graf and Stefan Edberg, Bob Beamon and Gunde Swan, Lev Yashin and Valery Borzov, Michel Platini and Eusebio, and finally Zenedine Zidane and David Beckham.
So, in Adidas-Salomon AG About 14,000 employees directly work. The company's sales amount to 6267 billion euros, profit - 260 million euros. The concern unites such trade marks, like Adidas, Salomon, Mavic, Bonfire, Arc'Teryx, Taylor Made and Maxfli. The headquarters is still located in Adi Dassler's homeland, in the Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach. The American headquarters is located in Portland (Oregon).
In general, it’s ok, though it’s completely different

Now the adidas company is one of the leaders in the sports market. Among its products you can choose equipment for any sport. Today, these are stylish and comfortable things, created using the latest technologies in collaboration with world-class designers and stars.

But how were things before? How was adidas born? Where did it all start? Today we decided to tell you the history of the creation and development of adidas.

On the official website of the adidas Group, the founding date of the company is stated as August 18, 1949, but in fact the history began much earlier.

In 1924, two brothers lived in the small Bavarian town of Herzogenaurach - Rudolf (Rudi) and Adolf (Adi) Dassler. Their father worked in a shoe factory, their mother worked as a laundress. Both brothers had just returned from the war, the younger Adi began making shoes in the back room of his mother's house. Then his older brother Rudolph joined him - this was the beginning of the history of the cult brand. Soon the brothers opened a small factory and called it the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory.

The company was engaged in sewing slippers and sports orthopedic shoes for disabled athletes, of whom there were quite a lot after the war. Their custom handmade shoes began to gain popularity and four years later, in 1928, the Dassler brothers' shoes could be seen on the feet of athletes in Amsterdam during the 1928 Olympic Games. In the same year, the first ever football boots with spikes, which the brothers created, received a patent from the German bureau. However, real success came to them in 1936, when they went to Berlin to present a pair of sneakers to Jesse Owens, who won 4 gold medals that same year. After this, the world sports community turned its attention to the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory.

However, closer to the forties of the 20th century, when Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany, disagreements arose between the brothers, which reached their peak in the mid-40s of the 20th century. In 1947, Rudy left the company to create his own brand, Ruda (Rudolph + Dassler), which was later renamed Puma.

And this event takes us straight to August 1949 - the official founding date of the adidas company (the younger brother was more fortunate in combining the first parts of his first and last names: Adi + Dass).

After the brothers separated, she agreed among themselves not to use the symbols of their factory, but Adi broke the agreement and developed the first official logo of the newborn adidas company - three stripes, simply adding one more to the two stripes of the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory. During these same decades, fierce competition began between the two brothers and, accordingly, between the two sports companies.

In the same year, Adolf created the first boots with removable rubber studs.

Final victory over big brother younger brother received in 1954 at the FIFA World Cup, when Adi reached an agreement with the German coach and adidas sponsored the German football team, which won the World Cup. From that very moment, the Adi company became one of the world's leading sports brands, and sneakers became not only an attribute of sportswear, but also everyday wear.

The first attempt at diversification was the production of sports bags. And although sneakers remain the main production, Adolf is looking for a partner who will take over the production of clothing. By chance, at some party, he meets the owner of a textile factory, Willy Seltenreich, and orders him a thousand tracksuits with three stripes along the sleeves. The product went well, and the partners liked each other so much that Seltenreich soon began sewing only for Adidas.

In 1968, adidas was the first in the world of sports shoes to produce molded polyurethane soles with a one-year warranty. Subsequently this technology has gained worldwide popularity and is now used everywhere.

In 1970, the adidas Telstar ball became the official ball of the World Cup in Mexico.

In 1972, adidas became the title sponsor of the Olympic Games in Munich, and the German national team became the European Football Champion. The appearance of the company's famous "shamrock". Three leaves indicate the company's presence on three continents of the world.

In 1978, Adolf Dassler dies and management of the company passes to his widow Katharina.

Thanks to the actions taken by Adolf Dassler in the distant past, adidas sports and casual clothing, shoes and sports accessories are now loved and worn all over the world.

On this moment adidas Group is one of the global leaders in the sporting goods industry and offers a wide range of products from key brands: adidas, Reebok, TaylorMade, Rockport and Reebok-CCM Hockey. The company's headquarters is located in Herzogenaurach (Germany), the company employs more than 46 thousand employees worldwide, and total sales in 2012 amounted to 14.9 billion euros.

The site's observer studied the history of the German company Adidas, which for a long time was a leader in the production of sports equipment, but after the death of founder Adolf Dassler, it lost its position to Nike.

The material tells the story of Adidas' path to world fame in the 1930s, the fight against competitors, changes in management, contracts with athletes and musicians, and new developments of the company.

Adidas is one of the few companies that not only helped create a new industry, but also still exists today, remaining in a leadership position. The history of Adidas began in the mid-1920s. The brand has long been considered number one in the equipment market, but now, having lost competition to Nike, it is making every effort to return to the top.

The origins of Adidas. Gebrüder Dassler Company

The history of the Adidas brand begins with Adolf Dassler. He was born in 1900 in the German city of Herzogenaurach. His father worked in a shoe factory, and his mother was either a laundress or owned a laundry. Adolf was the youngest of four children.

As a child, Adolf was closest friends with his brother Rudolf, two years older than him. Both were fond of sports and sometimes fiercely competed with each other. In 1914, Rudolph was drafted into the army, and Adolf began to study his father’s business. Another hobby of his was football, which at that time was gaining popularity in Europe.

It is not known for sure whether Adolf Dassler took part in the First World War: information on this matter is contradictory and depends on. Considering the year of his birth, we can assume that if he ended up at the front, it was already at the end of the war.

After the end of the war, peace conditions towards Germany were very harsh, and the Dassler family found themselves in a difficult situation. Desperate to find a job, Adolf thought about creating his own shoe manufacturing business. According to the most popular version, the first workshop was opened in a former laundry room, where the entrepreneur’s mother worked.

The famous boots and other equipment were, of course, still a long way off. Initially, the Dassler family manufactory specialized in sewing sleeping slippers. The materials were taken from decommissioned army stocks. Next came gymnastic slippers.

Nevertheless, Adolf Dassler already believed that in the future business should provide good shoes for athletes. In 1924 the Gebrüder Dassler company was created. According to the most common version, this happened after his brother Rudolf joined Dassler’s business.

Both brothers had already worked in a shoe factory, but now they took on different functions. Adolf took up production, and the more sociable and active Rudolf began to establish sales. At the time of its creation, the company already employed 14 people, including the Dasslers.

For five years, the company was headed by the entrepreneur’s wife, Katharina Dassler, who had previously managed day-to-day operations for a long time. A prominent role remained with the founder's son Horst Dassler, who managed the French branch and also, as before, negotiated with various committees and federations and handled marketing.

And yet, with the death of Adolf Dassler, Adidas gradually fell into decline. Some sources believe that family squabbles and a desire to divide the inheritance were to blame. Even if they were wrong, the company would still be in trouble. The sports equipment market, which was quite competitive, included American brands like Nike and Reebok. Adidas, having lost its chief innovator and accustomed to being a leader, was unable to respond quickly to the tougher conditions.

Until the end of the 1980s, the company still maintained its position in the European market and remained a world leader. In the US, it was supplanted by Nike. In 1985, Katharina Dassler died, and two years later, Horst Dassler. So the company was decapitated.

The daughters of Adolf Dassler came to power, who not only were not effective leaders, but also, according to rumors, managed to quarrel among themselves. Eventually a compromise was reached, and in 1989 the heiresses decided to sell 80% of the company. The buyer was a French businessman and politician, owner of a football team, Bernard Tapie, for whom the deal cost 1.6 billion francs. To buy the company, he raised borrowed funds.

Tapi was going to return the company to the top, but he failed. His main achievements are the transfer of production to Asia and a contract with Madonna, who has become one of the faces of the brand. In 1992, Tapie had problems: he could not pay the loan interest, and in 1993, the Credit Lyonnais bank sold the company to Tapie's friend Robert Louis-Dreyfus. Dreyfus acquired the brand for a much larger sum than it was sold to Dassler's daughters - 4.4 billion francs.

It’s worth telling more about the next owner of Adidas. He was born into a wealthy family, graduated from a privileged school and Harvard, and then worked briefly for the family grain trading conglomerate. Louis-Dreyfus did not limit himself to a large inheritance and a reputation as a good poker player - instead, he began investing in other companies. Soon he headed the pharmaceutical research company IMS Health, into which he invested about $400 thousand. In 1988, it was sold for $1.6 billion.

After this, Louis-Dreyfus became the head of the Saatchi&Saatchi advertising agency. There is less information about this activity of his, but usually it is also quite positive. In general, a person came to Adidas who quite successfully headed several companies and was ready to save the famous brand.

Louis-Dreyfus got Adidas in serious condition, the company needed decisive action, and new director hired former top managers and designers from Nike and Reebok to lead the brand. Louis-Dreyfus also completed the transfer of production to Asia, trying in every possible way to reduce costs, and at the same time increased the advertising budget and prepared for the launch of brand stores.

Since childhood, Heiner has been fond of sports and especially football. He did not grow up to be a professional football player, but he was well versed in this area and understood the role Adidas played in the development of the sport.

Hainer first of all completed the creation of the Adidas Sport Heritage division, which began to produce casual clothing. Sports fans were also not left without attention: an innovative direction, Adidas Performance, was created for them.

Having carried out a partial restructuring, Hainer began planning to take over the market in which the company was most inferior to Nike - the United States. Hainer did not stop working in other directions. In 2004, a joint venture between Adidas and British designer Stella McCartney was created - it was supposed to help promote and increase the range of products. This line, aimed at women, still exists.

The same year, the Respect M.E. clothing line was released, created in collaboration with Adidas and singer Missy Elliott. In the future, several more celebrities who are not related to sports will join the Adidas brand. Adidas' most high-profile acquisition in this field was rapper and producer Kanye West, who left Nike. In addition, in 2014, it became known about the company’s collaboration with musician Snoop Dogg. Collections of famous musicians and designers allowed the brand to strengthen its position in the casual clothing market.

A special place in the company's activities in the mid-2000s was occupied by litigation over the use of Adidas symbols in the collections of other brands. In 2003, Fitness World Trading was put on trial for this because it used two white lines in its clothing, similar to the similar three from Adidas.

However, other companies are also suing Adidas. In 2012, Nike officials deemed a competitor's pre-Olympics sneaker to be made using their patented Flycknit technology. The lengthy proceedings that might have been expected did not happen: Adidas quickly proved in court that there was no patent infringement.

On domestic market You can find products from various famous world brands. When it comes to choosing sneakers, modern youth give their preference to the adidas brand, since this manufacturer supplies original, high-quality products that have a long service life. The choice of such products is very large, but, unfortunately, most of the products are fake. People waste a lot of money on low-quality clothes and shoes. In order not to fall into the trap of unscrupulous sellers, you must know how to distinguish real Adidas from a fake.

Of course, real German products are not sold in markets or regular stores. You can only purchase original shoes and clothes in a fashion boutique or in a store that is an official dealer of the brand. The new Adidas originals collection cannot be sold in a pavilion or tent near the station, just like the original sneakers of this brand. We offer a few secrets that will help you determine whether they want to sell you a real Adidas or a pathetic copy.

You can definitely purchase original products on the official website of the German brand. If you decide to buy yourself new adidas sneakers, then please note that:

• real shoes can only be ordered in the boutique and official store of the brand,
• the cost of such a product is very high,
• real sneakers are sewn with high quality without uneven seams and sloppy protrusions of leather on the back of the product below the logo,
• Each shoe model has a special number, which may differ on the left/right shoe,
• Each pair of shoes comes with an extra pair of laces.

These are not all the options on how to distinguish adidas Gazelle from a fake. Real brand shoes have a tag that shows the serial number of the model and all the information about it. Pay attention to the packaging and label; all data on the tag inside the sneaker must match the data on the box in which the shoes are located. As a rule, the seams on the original are even, straight and strong; there should be no glue here.

On the official portal of the adidas brand, the entire range of sneakers is presented; when you buy new ones, find the model on the website and compare with the one you purchased. If appearance and the color is different, you were sold a fake.

Everyone can check not only Adidas shoes for authenticity, but also clothes. After all, the brand also produces high-quality expensive sports items.

When updating your wardrobe and buying new clothes from adidas, pay attention to:

• quality of fabric,
• the condition of the seams,
• stitch quality,
• clothing color,
• cost of goods.

With original German clothing, everything is the same as with shoes. On real Adidas items there are no protruding threads, uneven seams or skewed logos. When purchasing this product, compare the model and color of the clothing on the brand’s official website. If there is no item in the original line with a color like yours, it is not a real Adidas. Check the original product carefully before purchasing it. After all, now you know how to distinguish real Adidas from a fake. Be careful, the Chinese have learned to make high-quality copies of products from famous brands.

Rudolf and Adolf Dassler are the founders of Gebrüder Dassler, brothers who later founded Adidas and Puma with a unique history.

Adolf lived in the development and production of shoes, constantly modernizing his products, Rudolf was a successful sales manager, had the skills and vision to develop the business.
After a quarrel, the brothers organized their own companies. Rudolph registered Puma, and Adolf registered Adidas.

👟 In 2016, the feature film “Duel of Brothers” was released - about the history of the creation and development of the Adidas and Puma brands.
👟 Adolf, the founder of Adidas, told his dying brother Rudy, the founder of Puma, over the phone that he forgives him, refusing to be present in person.
👟 After a serious conflict, the brothers only met a couple of times until the end of their lives.
👟 Puma gained worldwide recognition under the reign of Rudolf's son, Armin.
👟 The National Socialist German Workers' Party during World War II contributed to the development of the Dassler company, using political powers, in return for the cooperation of the Dassler brothers.
👟 The brothers' sons had a serious quarrel over an Advertising contract with Pele and stopped communicating. The Dassler war passed from fathers to children.
👟 Adolf Dassler played sports until the end of his life, and participated in amateur competitions in his youth.

Brief biography of Rudolf and Adolf Dassler.

The brothers were born into a not wealthy family, a small town in Germany, Herzogenaurach (Bovaria). Date of birth of Rudolf: March 26, 1898, Adolf: November 3, 1900, the third and fourth children. Father Christophe worked at a shoe factory, mother Paulina was a laundress. In childhood, we carried clean linen for my mother's clients.

Rudolf went to work for his father at the factory, and in 1914 he was sent with his older brother Fritz to Belgium to fight in the war. After the end of the war, he served in the district police, worked selling porcelain tableware at a factory, and then sold leather at an enterprise.

Adolf, his friends called him “Adi,” was actively involved in his father’s business. He received a shoemaker's education. Even as a child, working in a bakery at the behest of his father, he persistently decided to change direction because he had an irresistible craving for sports and competitions.

In 1920, the Dassler family decided to produce shoes, the first products of which were slippers and orthopedic shoes for disabled people, with a special form. After the war, the country was in chaos, inflation and poverty, and there were casualties a large number of, the demand for cheap products was in demand. There was no point in buying material for the production of good products, and there was little money. At that moment, boots with rubber soles made from pieces of car tires were successfully sold.

The beginning of the family business, the history of Dassler (Dassler) 1923

First Dassler factory 1923

In 1923, Adolf Dassler invited his older brother Rudolf to join his company.
In 1924, the brothers officially organized a company for the production of footwear for athletes, “Gebrüder Dassler,” translated into Russian as “Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory.”
The brothers complemented each other in their business, for example, Adolf was calm, reasonable in character, made informed decisions, strived for excellence and innovation, while Rudolf was active, ambitious, sociable and found an approach to every client. One developed production, improving and increasing the quality of manufactured products, the other successfully sold products and exaggerated the company's income.

The first Dassler boots with spikes 1925

The first successful Dassler product, developed by Adolf, appeared in 1925. The football boots produced were a great success and in demand. They were equipped with a special orthopedic insole and spikes, which contributed to the excellent performance of the football players. Thanks to the spikes on the sole, it became possible to run faster and be more stable on the grass. There were no analogues in the world; the brothers became pioneers by creating boots with spikes. They experimented with creating sharp, non-replaceable spikes and round, replaceable spikes.

Development of the Dassler company.

Production and sales were slowly gaining momentum. Already by 1927, the number of employees was 25 people, which is why it was necessary to rent a factory with more space. About 100 pairs of shoes were produced daily, which included boots, boots (sneakers), and sandals.
In 1928, the Dassler company received a patent for spikes for boots.

👟 An interesting fact is that the needle spikes themselves were developed by Joseph Weitzer, who helped, but did not work for the Dassler brothers.

Since 1930, the Dassler company began to actively develop, purchasing a previously rented building and building a third floor there. In 1932, Olympic competitor Artur Jonaut took third place in the 100-meter race wearing Dassler shoes. From that moment on, the brothers' success went up. The beginning of cooperation with athletes and competition organizers was initiated, which played important role for sale. In 1936, Jesse Owens, wearing Dassler shoes, won 4 gold medals in the 100 and 200 meter races at the Berlin Olympics, and also set 5 world records.

👟 Interesting fact: in 2016, the feature film “Willpower” was released, based on the biography of Jesse Owens.

Jesse Owens wearing Dassler boots 1936 at the World Championships

After successful olympic games, the increase in Dassler's income exceeded DM 400,000 that by 1938 there was an urgent need to open a second factory. Shoe production exceeded 1,000 pairs per day, with 118 jobs, for 11 different sports disciplines.

Development of the Dassler company during the Second World War.

In 1939, World War II began, which contributed to a sharp crisis in the company's development and led to the closure of the second factory. Adolf was taken to the front in 1941, despite his patriotism and being a member of the National Socialist German Workers' Party. Things did not work out for the military with the equipment at the Dassler factories, since they were not suitable for the production of weapons, in particular grenade launchers. Adi was released from military duties in 1942 to organize and produce training shoes for the military at the Dassler factory. The brothers were tasked with sewing 10,500 pairs of shoes for the German army.

👟 The National Socialist Party, back in 1933, demanded Dassler's participation, giving them the opportunity to develop their business.
👟 Due to the contract with Jesse Owens, who performed at the Olympics in 1936, wearing Dassler boots, Adi had serious disagreements with the party, questioning his political morals.

Conflicts of the Dassler brothers.

In 1940, the brothers disagreed. Adi needed to improve the shoes, while Rudi needed more sales. Rudolph did not see the point in improving shoes, which, in his opinion, were good without innovation, wanting to focus on increasing the number of sales. Adolf was not satisfied with the performance, results and feeling of comfort from the shoes; he strived to bring them to perfection in every discipline of the sport.

During the war years, Dassler was the only company producing sports shoes in Germany, since most of the leather was supplied to the military industry.
From 1943 to 1945, Dassler, by order of the Minister of National Industrial and Military Production, produced parts for weapons and all personnel were retrained.

Photos of football boots with studs from Dassler from 1925 to 1948.

Boots Dassler (Dassler) 1925 with spikes.

Dassler boots 1925

After World War II Dassler, Adidas and Puma.

The most difficult year in Adi’s biography.

After World War II, the country experienced a terrible crisis. It was in 1946 that the German government learned about the residence of a Jew, hiding from the Nazis in the house of Adolf, who helped Adi in obtaining raw materials to restart the factory. Adolf Dassler was given a two-year suspended sentence and suspended from running a business. At this time, Rudolf returned from a prisoner of war camp, and the business had to be built from scratch. About 50 people received wages in the form of firewood, yarn and other materials. In 1947, they were allowed to continue operating as the owner of the factory, but under the supervision of an authorized person for a year.

Separation of the Dassler brothers, birth of Adidas and Puma, 1948 - 1949

The brothers had been in conflict for many years, and the political situation added to the intensity of passions. There was no point in continuing the company's activities together due to disagreements regarding the conduct of business, personal beliefs and political views. After the death of his father, it was decided to dissolve the company. Adi remained at the railway plant with 2/3 of the total staff involved in development and production, while Rudi took over the new location on Würzburg Street, some of the employees were more sales-oriented.

👟 In 1948, Rudolf registered a company called “Ruda”, meaning Rudolf Dassler, but soon changed the name to “Puma”, based on unconfirmed sources, this name was taken from Rudo’s youth, when he was an active lover of female pleasures.
👟 In 1949, Adi’s patent office refused to register the trademark “addas”, so he had to add “i”. This is how the Adidas brand was born - Adi Dassler.

Development of Adidas and Puma. 1950s

A new shoe model has been developed for running in bad weather conditions, with three parallel stripes, designed for the design features of the shoe. The boots with a successful design of three stripes and studs, containing metal rods inside, went into serial production. The design was repeated in some batches years earlier, but Adi's shoes gained recognition from 1950 and entered the masses. The logo also contained those same 3 stripes, based on some sources - Adolf added the third stripe to the first two from the Dassler logo. To which the brothers’ agreement on the non-use of symbols and the name “Dassler Factory” was violated.

In 1949, Rudolph developed screw-in rubber studs for football athletes, bringing them to mass production. Before the release of the product, the opinions of many journalists and experts in the field were taken into account in the development. New technology used in a series of shoes called “Super Atom”. Famous German athletes from the following clubs performed in them: “Borussia”, “Eintracht”, “Stuttgart”, “Kaiserslautern”.

In 1954, in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), the Hannover 96 club defeated FCK in the final match. Eight athletes of the winning club were shod in new model Puma - “Brasil”.
In the same year, at the World Cup, the German team, wearing adidas shoes, won. From that moment on, the competition between Adidas and Puma was not equal, but the brothers' war continued.

Litigation began. In 1958, Rudolph challenged in court the advertising slogan “Adidas - the best sports shoes in the world!”, as the Brazilian national team won the World Cup wearing Puma shoes.

Since 1952, Adidas began selling sport bags featuring the symbolism of three stripes, in collaboration with “Willy Seltenreich” (Willy Seltenreich). The partnership was so successful that Willie began sewing only for Adidas. Over the years, the range has expanded, and clothing has been added to production.

In 1956, Adidas signs an advertising agreement with the International Olympic Games Company (IOC) for advertising.

Adi and Kathe Dassler

During these years, a factory was opened in the Norwegian city of Gjøvik, then in France, the management of the factory was headed by Adi's son, Horst. The entire Adolf Dassler family took part in the development of the business. Wife Käthe was the right hand, the first adviser in decision-making, focused on contracts and transactions, and took an active part in the development of the company as a whole. Adi's four daughters - Inge, Karin, Brigitte, and Sigrid - did not stand aside. From an early age, Inge was interested in her father’s business and actively maintained connections in the German sports club. Karin managed the processes of advertising and press releases, taking into account public opinions regarding the products. Brigitte was responsible for international relations in the company, holding business meetings with clients from other countries, and Sigrid focused on production materials, in particular textiles.

Strengthening the position of Adidas and Puma, 1960s.

In the sixties, Adidas became the world's largest shoe manufacturer. There were 550 employees, and by the beginning of the 70s, the daily production of shoes totaled 22,000 pairs in 16 factories.

Puma extension.

In the 1960s, Rudy's relationship with his son Armin was far from smooth. The son took part in the development of the company, being in Salzburg (Salzburg) - a city in western Austria, the youngest son Gerd (Gerd) - ran a factory in France.
In 1962, Pele won the World Cup for the second time in a row, wearing Puma boots.
After 1964, Rudolf asked his son to return to Germany to run the company.

Inspiration and motivation of Adi Dassler.

Adi discusses boots with athletes.

Success followed Adi, profits increased, recognition and positive reviews came with different corners world, but fame was alien to him, because he strived for innovation. Creativity captured Adolf in attempts to constantly improve and modernize shoes. He constantly consulted with athletes of different disciplines, taking into account their opinion about the shoes, making adjustments. It was important to achieve the highest quality so that the athlete would be stable in all weather conditions, and physical activity would not be complicated by the shoes he was wearing.
Adi was given strong motivation by athletes who received medals while wearing Adidas shoes.

Adidas success in 1968.

Adidas received the “Erster klasse with Bundesverdienstkreuz” (German Order of Merit, First Class) award.

Olympic Games.

In 1968, the Olympic Games championship was held in Mexico (Mexico City, the capital city of Mexico). Athletes in the running discipline performed on a new surface containing artificial materials. Ordinary spikes on boots (sneakers) were extremely unsuitable; a sliding effect appeared. Competitors Adidas in particular Puma, for of this scenario developed shoes with many small spikes like needles, but modification of these shoes was prohibited due to numerous injuries. The small needles penetrated so thoroughly that the athletes lost their balance. Adi went a different route and developed rubberized protrusions (spikes) in a triangular shape. The new innovative technology allowed the athletes to win many medals, and Adi increased the company's profits.

Death of brothers, war of sons, world records, 1970s.

The contract with Pele, the war of Dassler Jr.

Pele at the FIFA World Cup wearing Puma boots.

Armin, the son of Rudi Dassler, and Horst, the son of Adi Dassler, made a verbal agreement that they would not poach players and sign a contract with Pele in order to avoid a surge in the advertising segment and not cause a rise and fall in sales for one of the companies.

In 1970, Armin hired journalist Hans Henningsen, who had extensive contacts in the sport of football in South America. His task was to convince as many football players as possible to play in Puma boots, but not to suggest Pele.
In turn, Pele learned about the contracts of other athletes with Puma and expressed deep dissatisfaction with Hans. The journalist could not resist and made a deal, which angered Horst. The Dassler scandal passed from fathers to sons.

Pele leaves his autograph on Puma's boots.

👟 Edson Arantes do Nascimento (Edson Arantes do Nascimento) - Pele in Portuguese. Pele is a Brazilian footballer, striker, three-time world champion in football, as a player with a huge number of other awards.
👟 Based on his biography, a feature film “Birth of a Legend” was shot in 2016.

Adidas and Puma advertising contracts.

Ball Adidas Telstar 1971 - 1974

In 1970, Adidas became the official representatives of the Adidas Telstar ball at the World Cup in Mexico. In 1974 he reintroduced his ball “Adidas Telstar 2”.

In 1972, a new logo for the Adidas company “Trefoil” was developed, signifying its presence on three continents. Nowadays, the logo is put on the release of more stylish clothes for the society.

Ali and Frazier wearing Adidas boots, 1971

In 1971, Muhammad Ali fights Joe Frazier, both wearing Adidas shoes. Two of the world's great boxing fighters met in the ring for the first time, making the fight of the year.

Tennis player Stan Smith wearing Adidas shoes, 1972

In 1972, Stan Smith won the international tennis tournament wearing Adidas shoes. The shoe model worn by the tennis player was recreated and released into mass sales, gaining widespread popularity.

Mary Peters wearing Puma boots, 1972

In the same year, at the pentathlon competition in Munich, Mary Peters, originally from the UK, competes in Puma boots. John Akiee-Bois, originally from Uganda, a country in East Africa, wins the 400-meter hurdles. Randy Williams, originally from the USA, wins the long jump, and Klaus Wolfermann wins the javelin throw.
All participants won with gold medals. Each athlete was wearing Puma boots.

Walt Fraser wearing Puma boots 1973

In 1973, at the NBA championship (National Basketball Association), Walt Frazier (Walter “Clyde” Frazier) wins in Puma shoes.

Cruyff Johan wearing Puma boots 1974

In 1974, Johan Cruijff (Hendrik Johannes Cruijff), a football player originally from the Netherlands, playing for the Barcelona club (Barca), wins the football championship in Spain. Deserves the European Footballer of the Year award. The football player's shoes were from the Puma company.

German national team wearing Adidas 1974 shoes.

German football players win the FIFA World Cup in 1974, and all the athletes are wearing Adidas. Official ball of the Adidas Telstar II game.

Grief for the Dassler brothers' family.

On December 27, 1974, Rudolf Dassler died of lung cancer. Before his death, the priest called Adolf so that he could say goodbye to his brother, but Adi did not talk and only said that he forgives Rudi.

A year later, in December 1975, the elder brother Fritz died, and Maria Dassler died back in 1958. Adi Dassler remained the last family member of his generation.

In 1975, Adolf Dassler became an honorary member of the American Sporting Goods Association and was inducted into the national sporting goods industry hall of fame in 1978, although he was not an American.

The heirs of Dassler are Adidas and Puma.

After Rudi's death, the inheritance goes to his sons, 60% to Armin and 40% to Gerd. A lawsuit arose between the brothers, since the father, before his death, rewrote the will entirely in Gerd’s name, but Armin challenged the will in court and won the case.

After Adi’s death, the company’s inheritance passes to his wife Keta, who continues to develop the company and export goods internationally. The daily production of pairs of shoes reaches the 280,000 mark. Another four years after the death of Adolf, the company occupies a leading position in the world in its segment.

Achievements of Adidas and Puma until the 1980s.

In a difficult time for companies left without founders, a number of achievements are taking place.

• In 1976, athletes wearing Adidas merchandise won 75 gold, 86 silver and 88 bronze medals.
• In 1977, Puma became the best supplier of paraphernalia for tennis sports.
• In 1978, the Adidas Tango became the official ball at the championship in Argentina.
• In 1979, the Puma logo was redesigned.

Change of leadership, crisis, 1980s.

After Adi’s death, Kate had a deep emptiness in her soul, and competition developed rapidly, despite internal and external circumstances, she tried to manage the company and realized that she could not cope. She asked Horst in 1980 to come and help her with her affairs. From this moment on, Adi's son begins to manage the company internationally, and not the factory in France.

In 1982, the Adidas Tango Espana became the official ball of the World Cup in Spain, and the Puma “Copa Mundial” collection of boots gained worldwide popularity.

Armin Dassler holds Puma Torero boots.

In the same year, Diego Armando Maradona, originally from Argentina, plays his first tournament in Puma attributes. The Puma company is developing new boots consisting of two platforms, the material is very flexible and elastic. The new collection of boots is called “Torero”.

The last head of Dassler, the crisis of Adidas and Puma.

Left Horst Dassler (Horst Dassler)

In 1984, Käthe Dassler dies, Horst Dassler becomes the head of the Adidas company, who introduces reforms in production and strengthens relations with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the International Football Federation.

This year, American athlete Evelyn Ashford, dressed in Puma paraphernalia, receives two gold medals at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

In 1985, Becker won the tennis title at Wimbledon. Shoes, clothes and a racket are provided by Puma, who has entered into a contract with him. In those years, the sport of tennis was widely popular.

In 1986, Adidas Azteca became the official ball at the World Cup in Mexico. The hip-hop group “Run DMC”, famous during this period of time, wrote the song “My Adidas”, which gained wide popularity among fans of the brand.
For Puma, 1986 is a landmark year, as the Munich and Frankfurt stock exchanges begin trading Puma shares.

In 1987, Horst Dassler dies, the inheritance and management of the company passes to the sisters, who cannot cope with the intense competition. American-born companies such as Nike and Reebok are strengthening their positions in the international market. The company begins to experience losses in the tens of millions of dollars. Käthe's daughters decide to sell 80% of the company's shares for DM 440 million to French entrepreneur Bernard Tapie.

In 1989, Armin Dassler sells his stake in the company. In 1990 he died due to cancer.
This year, a deal was officially completed to sell 80% of the shares of Adidas, and the losses amounted to about $100 million.

Development, history of the company Adidas and Puma from 1990 to 2010.

1990

In 1990, Lothar Matteu, European Footballer of the Year, plays for the German national team in the Puma attire.

1991

In 1991, Adidas's profits continued to decline rapidly, becoming two times less than last year.

Puma releases a new model of boots “Trinomic” with rubber hexagonal cells that provide shock absorption.

1992

The Olympic Games are being held in Barcelona, ​​where Heike Drexler is a long jump athlete, Dieter Bauman is a track and field athlete competing in the long distance of 5000 square meters. m., and Linford Christie, a participant in the 100m short race, competed in Puma boots, winners who received gold medals.

1993

French investors led by Robert Louis-Dreyfus are buying a controlling stake in Adidas. Robert is convinced that the great brand is going through difficult times, but it will still rise and be more popular than ever.
Robert lured designers and sales managers from Reebok to Adidas. Production gradually began to be transferred to China, Thailand, Indonesia, saving on labor, which led to the growth of walruses. This move allowed Adidas to once again become competitive in the global market.

Jochen Zeitz took over as CEO of Puma, being the youngest director of the company in German history. He developed an expensive line of sports shoes “Sport lifestyle”.

1994

The World Cup is taking place in the USA. “Adidas Questra” is the official ball of the competition.

1996

Linford Christie wearing Puma logo lenses, 1996

Adidas became the general sponsor of the Olympic Games taking place in Atlanta. Increasing the company's profit by 50% in a year. Sales increased in the United States, cutting competitors' profits by 12% in athletic apparel and 10% in athletic shoes.

Linford Christie boosts sales for Puma by wearing their apparel and shoes at the competition, but the big move was at the conference when he wore lenses with the Puma logo.

1997

Adidas acquires the French company, manufacturer of sporting goods “Salomon Sports”, creating a successful concern until 2005, Adidas-Salomon. The purchase allowed Adidas to take a leading position in the global market, subsequently becoming the second largest manufacturer of sports shoes after Nike.

1998

Puma is the first in the world among sports shoe manufacturers to enter into a partnership with designer and stylish clothing manufacturer Heidemarie Jiline Sander. Classic style and trust were combined in the new “careless rider” boot model.

1999

Puma releases new collection“Monstro”, which combined a model from the “Sprintspike” collection, which was developed in the 1960s, and surf shoes from the 1980s. On the new boots, the sole consisted of rubberized studs, and the upper was made of leather, a classic design. A new global trend has emerged, which was greatly contributed to by “Madonna Louise Ciccone” (Madonna Louise), who went out in public wearing these shoes.

2001

Adidas Sport Heritage Logo

Puma launches a new boot model for international Formula 1 (F1) competitions, with a low profile and elegant Cat logo.

At Adidas, Herbert Heiner, who was previously deputy chairman of the board of the Adidas-Salomon concern, has been appointed chairman of the board of directors. The company's marketing began to look towards the history of the brand, as this had an advantage in contrast to American competitors.
The new Adidas “Sport Heritage” line, also known as Originals since 1972, is launched, with a trefoil logo signifying its presence on three continents. Originals is a direction that combines new trends and trends in sportswear, aimed at the mass buyer.

2002

Puma buys Treton, a Swedish manufacturer rubber boots, sports shoes and tennis balls, founded in 1891, Helsingborg. The purpose of the purchase is to increase sales in the premium segment.
El-Hadji Ousseynou Diouf (French: El-Hadji Ousseynou Diouf) football striker, signed an advertising contract with Puma. He took part in the FIFA World Cup and together with his team beat the defending champions the French, but lost to Turkey. The team reached the final of the African Cup of Nations.

Adidas is releasing a new line of clothing “Sport Style” for active, athletic people who want to look stylish. The line has gained recognition and premium status, as world-famous designers, exclusively for Adidas, develop designs for clothing, shoes and accessories.

2004

New collection of boots for the Ferrari team from Puma

Puma and the Ferrari team competing in the Formula One world championship have entered into a multi-year contract for advertising on the racing car and the supply of equipment with the Puma logo.

At the FIFA World Cup, Adidas Roteiro is the official ball of the competition.
Adidas signs a contract with the famous American singer, rapper, producer Elliott Missy (Melissa Arnette “Missy” Elliott) to release a new line of clothing, shoes and accessories “Respect M.E”. Another contract has been signed with English fashion designer Stella Nina McCartney.

2005

The Finnish company Amer Sports, founded in 1950 and specializing in sports equipment, bought out the Salomon Sports division from Adidas on May 2, but under the agreement it will sell goods through Adidas retail chains for another three years, until 2009.
In August of the same year, the Adidas-Salomon concern bought 100% of the shares of Reebok for 3.8 billion, increasing its influence in the American market to 20% and displacing Nike, which owns 35% of the market share.

2006

The official ball of the World Cup in Germany is “Adidas Teamgeist”.
In May 2006, a bronze monument to Adolf Dassler, the founder of Adidas, was erected. The monument was made by the sculptor Joseph.

Puma is the general sponsor of the FIFA World Cup, at the championship in Germany, where the Italian team wins.
Puma developed a new model of boots that weighed less than 200 grams and were the lightest football boots in the world.

2007

The French holding “PPR”, renamed “Kering”, founded in 1963 by Francois Pinault, which owns major brands: Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent ( Yves Saint Laurent), Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta ( Bottega Veneta), Boucheron, Brioni - buys 60% of the shares of Puma. For this year, Puma's net profit amounted to 269 million euros.

Adidas combines the “Sport Style” and “Heritage” collections, and the logos of the two directions are still present in new collections of clothing and shoes.

For the first time, Puma is providing its own yacht, “Il Mostro,” in sailing's toughest competition, the Volvo Ocean Race, a 37,000 nautical mile trip around the world.
At the Beijing Olympics, Usain Bolt (Usain St. Leo Bolt), wearing the Puma symbol, sets two world records. The first in the 100 meters in 9.69 seconds, and the second in the 200 meters in 19.3 seconds.
Puma's market capitalization was $3.6 billion.

“Adidas Finale Moscow” is the official ball at the UEFA Championship League Final in Moscow, at the Luzhniki Stadium on May 21.
“Adidas Europass” is the official ball of the European Football Championship.
The net profit of Adidas amounted to 642 million euros, of which $500 million in Russia, and total sales amounted to 10.8 million euros.
Adidas signed a contract with the Russian Football Union (RFU) for a period of 10 years to equip all football clubs in the country with its products. The transaction amount is about $100 million, and the German company will also deduct 5% from the sold products with the symbols of the Russian national team to the RFU.

2009

Usain Bolt (Usain St. Leo Bolt) in clothes and Puma boots

Usain Bolt wins again in Puma boots at the World Athletics Championships in Berlin, setting a new record of 9.58 seconds in the 100m.

Adidas acts as the official representative of the ball at the European Women's Football Championship - “Adidas Terrapass”.

2010

Puma becomes the title sponsor of the FIFA World Cup in South Africa, including African teams. This year, Puma is releasing a collection of clothing, shoes and accessories for athletes and golfers, completely strengthening its position in this segment.

At Africa's premier football tournament, the official cup ball is the “Adidas Jabulani Angola”. Adidas has improved the quality of the ball, giving it better aerodynamics.
Also, the Adidas Jabulani ball becomes official at the World Cup. “Adidas Europa League” is the ball of the UEFA Europa League Cup and the ball presented at the football championship in Germany is “Adidas Torfabrik”.

2011

At Puma, Franz Koch takes over as CEO. Signs a contract with the German football club Borussia Dortmund.

2012

Athletes equipped in Puma win 19 medals of which the Jamaican team collects 12. Usain Bolt receives 3 medals, which proves his status as a legend of the sport.

Adidas Tango 12 is the official ball of the European Football Championship.

2013

Puma has appointed Bjørn Gulden, a former football player with extensive experience in a football career spanning over 20 years, as CEO.
Puma signs a contract with the famous Italian football player Mario Barwuah Balotelli. And also with athletes: Usain St. Leo Bolt, Sergio Leonel Agüero del Castillo, Fabregas Cesc, Marco Reus, Radamel Falcao Garcia Zarate (Spanish: Radamel Falcao Garcia Zarate), Rick Yutaka Fowler.

2014

The Puma company creates new football boots “evoPOWER” and “evoSPEED”, which attracted the attention of the public and journalists. This shoe was talked about at 72% of this year's games.

Pumas sign a contract with English professional club Arsenal, which is the fifth most expensive club in the world, with an estimated value of $1.33 billion.

2015

Puma sells the group it bought years earlier to Treton and enters into a partnership with Kering for glasses and frames for them.
Adidas has signed a 7-year agreement with the National Hockey League (NHL) for exclusive equipment for hockey athletes.

2016

Adidas signs a contract with American hip-hop artist Kanye Omari West, releasing a new collection of Yeezy clothing.
Adidas production in the German city of Ansbach is switching to fully automated production, where only robots work. And releases a limited collection of “Parley” as a sign of conservation, using recycled material from garbage.
Kasper Rorsted, who previously held the post of General Director for the production of chemicals at Henkel, takes over the post of CEO of Adidas.

Puma signs a partnership agreement with the Association of Athletics Federation (AAT). Extends the contract with Usain Bolt, who won 3 gold medals this year from the three disciplines available to him. Puma enters into a partnership agreement with the Red Bull Formula 1 team (Red Bull Racing).

Conclusion, Adidas and Puma these days in 2018.

After the death of the Dassler fathers and sons, the Puma and Adidas companies ceased family inheritance and passed to large businessmen.
The ideologies of both companies remain, but greater emphasis is placed on sales. Two of the largest companies in the world for the production of shoes, clothing and accessories, having contracts with sports stars, show business, agreements with large companies on mutually beneficial terms. Advertising and marketing have been introduced not only into all niches of the sports sector, but also affiliate advertising is successfully developing, when one brand advertises another or both are advertised together, in a word, collaboration.

Headquarters of Adidas and Puma.

The main office (headquarters) of Adidas and Puma are located in Germany, the city where the companies were founded, Herzogenaurach.

Adidas headquarters.
Puma headquarters.

Statistics, Adidas and Puma report for 2018.

Adidas.

• The number of Adidas employees in 2014 was 53,731 people.
• The company's revenue in 2016 amounted to more than 19.29 billion Euros.
• The cost of 1 share for 2018 is 170.25 Euros.
• Since 2016, CEO Kasper Rorsted.
• In Russia, the number of stores and retail outlets has reached 840, but since 2014, since the crisis, there has been a gradual reduction.
• The income of Adidas in Russia in 2017 exceeded 341 million Euros, and net profit amounted to 220 million Euros.
• Sales in Russia for 2017 are only 3% of total sales in the world.
• There are more than 9,000 Adidas retail stores in China.
• As of 2017, Adidas retail chains are located in more than 3,000 cities around the world.
• Adidas' capitalization for 2018 is 35.62 billion Euros.

Puma.

• The number of Puma employees in 2014 was 11,351 people.
• The company's revenue in 2016 amounted to more than 3.63 billion Euros.
• Puma's capitalization for 2018 is 5.47 billion Euros.