Change hate to respect by winning the respect of the hottest underground brand in the world: adidas Originals. With the limited edition BVG x adidas Originals EQT Berlin. The sneaker that’s a yearly ticket for the BVG transit, and features the camouflage pattern existing in BVG trains since the 90’s.

The shoe’s filled with BVG design elements. The iconic retro camouflage pattern comes from the train interiors existing since the 90s. The reinvented silhouette of the adidas EQT 93/17 (also first released in the 90s) was selected to compliment the pattern. It also features embroided transit symbols, the BVG logo, a camouflage sole, and a BVG ticket tongue. The laces are in BVG yellow, and the sneaker’s wrapped in Brandenburg-gate paper (the same graphic found on train windows), and boxed in BVG camouflage.

To maximise exposure, the activation was launched across all media channels of BVG, Overkill, and adidas_de simultaneously, seven days before release. On the day of the event, customers found the adidas and Overkill store branded and furnished with BVG train elements, including train seats reassembled in-store. Salesmen surprised customers by wearing BVG uniforms, and the BVG CEO and Overkill Marc welcomed the first customers themselves.

The sneaker immediately went viral following its announcement, with international media reporting the sneaker the next day. Reporters arrived on-site at Overkill and the adidas store several days ahead of launch to interview the customers who camped outside up to five days in freezing temperatures. After stores opened, the sneaker sold out in just three hours.

The press (eg : The Guardian, Vice, New York Times, NPR) covered the sneaker in three phases (activation, launch, resale), achieving media impressions of 10.6 billion and an estimated earned media of €14.637.368. Worldwide headlines praised BVG for doing what many thought impossible: Making public transportation cool. Special interest publications celebrated the sneaker for utilizing collaboration over technology for ground-breaking innovation. Finally, the cult sneakers re-sold on Ebay for up to €3500. In the end, we made young Berliners pay for tickets, and made not only Berlin, but the world pay respect to BVG.

The BVG x adidas Originals sneaker directly targeted young Berliners who didn’t pay for train tickets in order to change ticket purchasing behaviour and improve BVG’s brand perception.

Berlin is the streetwear capital of Europe. We found that, despite Berlin’s rebellious nature, young Berliners were still fashion-savy and willing to spend large sums of money on sneakers. After the idea of a sneaker as a yearly ticket was conceived, adidas Originals was approached. We knew that if we could gain adidas' respect and trust with our idea, then we would earn Berlin's respect as well.

To build further hype around the sneaker, we recruited Overkill store owner “Overkill Marc“, who is a legend not only in Berlin, but is known and respected worldwide throughout the sneakerhead community.

Due to Berlin’s underground and anti-establishment culture, young Berliners hate BVG transit so much that they don’t buy train tickets when forced to use it. BVG needed to change their brand perception so that 1) they would respect the company and 2) begin paying for their tickets.