Adidas is among the most iconic clothing and sportswear brands in the world. Renowned the world over, it has deep historical underpinnings. What began as a small sportswear brand in Germany has transformed into a mega brand that is considered to be an industry leader. Its popular and instantly recognisable logo gives tough competition to Nike and Puma, the competitors. The visual identity of the brand has undergone several changes, where each mirrors the customer preferences and market dynamics of the day. This article delves into the journey of the Adidas logo over the years.
The Genesis of the Adidas Logo (1924–1931)
The original visual identity of the footwear business run by the Dassler family featured a monochrome emblem surrounded by narrow ribbons of text. At the centre of the emblem was a stylized fort to represent tradition and solidity. The text accompanying the fort image paid tribute to the origins of the Adidas brand with the texts “Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik” and “Für Turnen, Spiel u. Sport überlegen.” The texts emphasised the commitment of the brand to high-quality athletic footwear.
(1931-1938)
The logo redesign of 1931 featured a black badge with a stylized metal cleat holding a shoe at the middle. The badge comprising the cleat and the shoe symbolised the focus of the company on making top-quality athletic footwear. The badge featured the name “Dassler” above to connect to the brand’s legacy.
(1938-1949)
The logo designed in 1938 was simple and reflected the brand’s focus on athletic footwear. Crafted by the founders, Adolf “Adi” Dassler and Rudolf “Rudi” Dassler, it showcased a bird in flight carrying a sneaker. The logo drew inspiration from the Dassler family crest, and the emblem symbolised the challenges athletes encounter and overcome.
(1949-1950)
Following the separation of his business from his brother’s, Adi Dassler found himself in need of a new brand identity and logo. Consequently, Adidas emerged. The initial Adidas logo incorporated Adi’s name and the iconic track spikes that gave him recognition. In fact, the logo featured a spiked shoe held by the extended ends of the letters “d” that emanated from the below-mentioned brand name “adidas.”
Also, the name of the company, Adolf Dassler, appeared in an arched formation on top of the logo. Although this logo design was used briefly, it played a key role in establishing the early visual identity of the brand.
(1950-1971)
In the logo design of 1950, the logo only had the name of the brand enclosed in a horizontal rectangle with rounded corners. And within the rectangle, the brand name appeared in white against a black background where the letters had straight lines and rounded corners. Interestingly, the letter “a” had pointed glyphs.
(1967–Today)
In the logo variant of 1967, the letters of the brand name were tweaked a little. For instance, the pointed glyphs of the letters “a” were changed to straight lines, and the dot over the letter “i” was changed to a square from the earlier dot shape. The wordmark was rendered in black and set against a white background.
(1971-Today)
In 1971, Adidas introduced the iconic Trefoil logo, designed by graphic designer Jacobus Rentmeester. The logo featured three leaves coming together to form a triangular shape. The leaves represented the Olympic spirit and the three pillars of the brand: performance, style, and individuality. This logo became synonymous with Adidas during the 1970s and 1980s
(1991-Today)
In 1991, Adidas underwent a rebranding effort and introduced a new logo known as the “Performance Logo.” This logo featured a stylized mountain shape with three stripes growing in size to represent the challenges and goals faced by athletes. The word “adidas” was placed below the logo in bold, uppercase letters. This logo aims to emphasise the commitment of Adidas to performance and excellence.
(2002-2022)
In 2002, the curved white stripes were encased within a circular design in black to resemble either an animal scratch or three pathways receding into the background. The stripes adopted a stylized appearance, with diminishing ends as they gracefully arched towards the right side. During this period, the logo retained a notably flat aesthetic, and the logotype maintained its original font. This iteration now serves as the emblem for Adidas Style product lines.
(2005-Present)
Over time, the Trefoil logo was gradually phased out, and the brand started to focus more on the iconic three stripes. The current Adidas logo, introduced in 2005, is a simple and bold design featuring three black horizontal stripes in parallel. The word “adidas” is placed next to the stripes. This logo is a reflection of the brand’s heritage and is widely recognised globally.
(2022-Today)
The latest Adidas logo is similar to the logo from 1991, but without the brand name. Here, the iconic stripes in ascending order (from left to right) are presented in a monochrome black colour on a white background. The varying lengths of bars or stripes create a dynamic rhythm that communicates agility and speed. So, the latest logo design connects to the heritage of the brand and offers a modern aesthetic as well.
The Elements of the Adidas Logo
Font
The Adidas logo font has maintained remarkable consistency throughout the history of the company. Its typeface embodies the brand’s ethos of simplicity, clarity, and focus. While Adidas claims its logo font is a proprietary design created exclusively for the brand, many typography experts note its striking similarity to the ITC Avant Garde typeface.
Colour
The official Adidas logo has always featured a black and white colour scheme, though the application of these colours has varied over time. Some iterations displayed white stripes on a black background, while others reversed this pattern.
This monochromatic approach, common among fashion brands, has allowed Adidas to adapt its logo to various colour palettes when needed. Over the years, Adidas products have featured multicoloured versions of the logo, with certain collections emphasising specific hues.
For a period, blue was particularly associated with the brand. Currently, to maintain brand consistency, Adidas officially uses a black design and text on a white background.
Finally
The Adidas logo caters to diverse consumer preferences and fashion trends while staying true to its rich sporting heritage. The Adidas logo has evolved to reflect the brand’s values, innovation, and commitment to sport and style. The simplicity and versatility of the three stripes make it a timeless and recognisable symbol in the world of sportswear and fashion.