Kyra Hall
Adidas is a famous brand worldwide, but people are only just realizing that there’s a hidden message in the logo.
The German brand has been a leader in designing and selling sportswear since the 1950s.
There have been many changes since the company’s conception – even different logos over the years – but the iconic three stripes have always been a part of the Adidas identity.
Despite the prominence of the brand, however, people are only just realizing that there’s a message hidden in the logo.
People have been left stunned at the secret meaning behind the logo.
One pens: “Woah, so clever!”
“I always thought it was an A! So wrong,” adds another.
“Mind blown,” a third agrees.
Reuters reports that Adidas’ operating profit for 2024 is forecast at about €1 billion ($1.1 billion).
But the brand actually came from very humble beginnings.
Two brothers from Herzogenaurach, a small town in Germany, named Adolf and Rudolf Dassler (known as Adi and Rudi), founded the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory in 1924, per the BBC.
After decades of operation, the brothers reportedly had a falling out and the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory was shut down in 1948.
That’s when the brand Adidas was born.
Little did Adi Dassler know, he had founded one of the biggest sportswear brands of all time.
His brother Rudi went on to start another iconic sportswear brand: Puma.
The Adidas website explains how the iconic three stripes came to be: “Stripes ended up on the first pair of Adidas shoes after Dassler had tested several versions and numbers of stripes and found that three simply showed up most prominently in photography.”
This meant that the shoe would be easily recognized – and easily recognized, the brand certainly came to be.
Adi had a lot of success designing shoes for athletes and listened to what they needed to perform at a high level.
Adidas notes: “In 1972, the world turned to Germany when the Olympic Games opened in Munich. Just in time for the event, Adidas presented a new logo that was here to stay: the Trefoil, symbolizing performance.
“Inspired by florals, the new logo featured three leaf-shaped foils to stay consistent with Adidas notoriety as the brand with the three stripes.”
Since the year 2000, all Adidas original items now bare this logo to pay homage to the brand’s history.
Adidas has gone on to become heavily integrated into pop culture. The brand has worked with a range of celebrities including David Beckham and the hip-hop group RUN D.M.C
The company states: “Today, the Adidas Originals collection stands for lifestyle and street. Times may change, but trefoiled quality will always remain.”
In 1989, the brand looked to create a new logo.
Peter Moore, a designer whose work on the Nike Air Jordan campaign turned the world of sneakers on its head, was approached by Adidas.
And, in 1991, he worked with Rob Strasser, with whom he also worked at Nike, to develop the Equipment (EQT) line.
Moore brought to life the most famous iteration of the Adidas logo to date. The EQT logo is often called the ‘mountain logo’ and is the design modern consumers are most likely to recognize.
According to Hatchwise, this logo has a little-known hidden message.
The slight angle of the three stripes in the EQT logo is said to be ‘associated with obstacles to overcome during your work to achieve your athletic goals.’
Tailor Brands interprets the meaning behind the logo as ‘representing the challenges athletes face and the goals to be achieved.’
Related Article: Realization About Vans Logo Is Leaving People Mindblown And They Can’t Unsee It
Related Article: Nike Fans Are Only Just Discovering Dark Truth About Brand’s Slogan And Its Connection To Death Row
Do you have a story for us? If so, email us at [email protected]. All contact will be treated in confidence.
