Adidas versus Nike: Guerilla marketing ahead of DFB switch

Adidas will soon have to hand over the German national football team to its rival, Nike. At the World Cup, the sportswear giants are teasing each other.

Nike could not pass up this perfect opportunity; the pun on the location was simply too good. “Hello New Jersey,” read a huge Jamal Musiala banner that the US sportswear giant's advertising guerrilla sailed across the Hudson River during Germany's World Cup match against Ecuador. Hello, new jersey!

The brand with the legendary 'Swoosh' is currently celebrating snatching the prestigious deal with the German national football team from the traditional German company, Adidas, after more than 70 years. The celebration took place on the Hudson River, in front of the Statue of Liberty, with the impressive Manhattan skyline as a backdrop. The message is clear: The victory lap has already begun. However, Adidas will remain the German Football Association's (DFB) kit supplier until the end of the year.

This is why Nike cannot and is not yet allowed to fully unveil the highly anticipated first jersey. Musiala, who had an understated presence during the group stage of the tournament, wears pixels on his chest, blurring the details for the viewer. It is recognisable that the jersey, in classic white with a black crew neck, will be reminiscent of the one worn by Franz Beckenbauer and the other 1974 World Cup champions during their triumph in Munich.

Adidas has no choice but to accept it. Chief executive officer Björn Gulden, once a second-division professional at 1. FC Nürnberg, insists a little too intensely in an ntv interview that the upcoming departure no longer stings. “Oh, the pain has been gone for a long, long time,” said the Norwegian, adding that the relationship with the DFB remains “sensational.” He continued: “If what Nike is paying is true, then let them pay it.” The figure is allegedly 100 million euros per year.

“We,” emphasises Gulden, “have other plans.” On one hand, Adidas supplies the world champion Argentina, the hot contender Spain, and Mexico, whose jerseys recently sold best worldwide due to their host role. Belgium and Japan are also Adidas teams, while Nike counters with France, England, and Norway, for example.

The most important thing, says Gulden, is not to have the world champion in the portfolio after the World Cup. “Visibility and good designs” take precedence. Furthermore, football has long influenced popular culture and, consequently, everyday fashion. To understand this, one should look at Paris Saint-Germain. With its culture of glamour, street style, and hip hop, it is the club with the highest global relevance beyond sport. PSG is a Nike team.

Incidentally, Adidas can also do guerrilla marketing. The global company from Herzogenaurach has reissued the iconic '94 USA jersey with a denim look for the World Cup and has been extremely successful. With this, Adidas is making a strong statement within a Nike team.

The “Backyard Legends” campaign, celebrating the heroes of the backyard, also honours the once non-commercial side of football amidst the commercialism: “Playing just for fun, no pressure, no expectations.” It is a simmering symbiosis of football and pop culture. The poster boys are Hollywood star Timothée Chalamet, music idol Bad Bunny, and Lionel Messi. It hardly gets any bigger.

However, Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz will soon be seen in Nike wear. Before that happens, Adidas has once again created record demand with its retro touch. Three million DFB jerseys have reportedly been sold to consumers, three times as many as four years ago around the World Cup in Qatar. Nike will have to stretch itself considerably to surpass this.