In summer 2018, adidas Originals launched a bold new silhouette—P.O.DSystem. The agency had three critical tasks to complete, and only three short months to deliver:

1. Amplify the ATL concept to create a complete consumer journey and holistic ecosystem

2. Introduce a new chapter in adidas footwear design via digital, experiential social and retail channels

3. Fast-track the conversion process, and support product sell-through globally

P.O.D System is a footwear concept derived from adidas’s collective memory. To create P.O.D. System silhouette, adidas adapted 3 signature technologies to create the ultimate in street style innovation. The shoe's distinctive feature is a "podular" outsole is made up of three components, each featuring a different shock-absorbing technology from adidas’ history. The technologies, are great alone, but work better together. This mission is emblematic of what the adidas brand offers and what its target consumer seeks—a brand that inspires creative collaboration.

The target—the Streetwear Hound—seeks curation and appreciates craft. For example, quant research revealed this audience over indexes in interest in photography, architecture, art and design—and affinity for publications like Design Milk, Wallpaper and Dezeen. The core insight was that the streetwear hound target seeks the design story behind the product—and that we needed to situate the POD System design story at the intersection of comfort and style.

The digital ecosystem was built to educate–and usher users closer to the point of purchase, while capturing data to target and optimize. The story began in social and digital media, with soundbite-level product education pathing directly to a digital hub which acted as the communication core, connecting stories across CRM and digital retail. The hub showcased an in-house built, photorealistic 3D render of the shoe, with a webGL-based design which allowed users to break apart the shoe to learn more about the product technology. An immersive workshop in London invited media and influencers to design their own P.O.D. System. 90 assets were produced in a 24-hour period. We created and executed content strategy for 40+ global influencers and 5 regional adidas accounts across 6 key markets, bringing a globally consistent aesthetic.

The connected storytelling approach led to significant improvement against 3 core KPIs:

1– Communication Recall: Consumers had greater design story recall & engagement around non-product based messaging.

2– .Com Engagement: An increase in .com engagement on the core hub compared to prior campaigns.

3– Mobile First Performance: A significantly lower mobile bounce rate in comparison to campaign benchmarks.