When Adidas came to life in 1924, it meant to be a modest German sports shoe shop. However, in a brilliant move, founder Adi Dassler got sprinter, Jesse Owens, to wear his shoes during the 1936 Summer Olympics. Adidas shoes quickly gained a reputation as a favorite among athletes, and the company ended up expanding rapidly. In modern times, the Adidas logo appears on everything from clothing to sports equipment.
They are considered one of the top companies in the industry. The signature three stripe is a sign of quality and style. This article will tell you about the fascinating history behind this logo.
Adidas Logo Design Elements
The Adidas logo has a simple yet bold appearance that works well with the company’s sportswear and equipment. The three vertical rectangles are rotated 30 degrees to the left and cut off along the bottom. The overall effect is a triangular, mountainous shape made out of three stripes of equal width. At the bottom is the word of the company, “adidas”, in all lowercase letters.
The rounded, sans serif font used in the Adidas logo is a slightly modified version of the Avant Garde Bold font. However, the brand does not restrict their logo to one color. The most common display is using black for the stripes and name while using white for the background. However, the logo can also appear in other colors, such as white, red, green, or blue.
Changes and Evolution
1. Shape
The Adidas logo has always included three stripes because Adi Dassler used this design in his original shoes. In 1971, the company started making clothing, so they changed their logo shape to the iconic trefoil. This design was three football-shaped leaves arranged so that the bottom of the logo was a curve and the top of the logo was three points. The logo incorporated the three stripes as three horizontal bars across the base of the leaves, and at the bottom of the logo was the phrase “adidas.” The trefoil design still shows up on some “Adidas original” products, but ever since 1997, the company has used their current mountain logo.
2. Color
Adidas has always used the same color scheme. Usually, it was a mono color logo on a mono color background. There has never been a set shade for the company’s logo, but all three versions most commonly appear as black on white design.
3. Font
The logo font has also remained somewhat consistent even as the logo shape changes. All versions have used the same san serif lowercase font. The only major change to the logo font is that it got bigger when it changed in 1997. It’s something similar to the Dolce and Gabbana logo, both meant to express innovation.
Influences/Inspiration
Dassler originally just thought that the three stripes looked appealing and stylish. Since then, the company has chosen to keep this theme as a sign of tradition. The three leaves used in the trefoil design are supposed to represent the landmasses of Europe, Africa, and America because Adidas primarily sells in these areas. According to the designers, the three horizontal bars connecting the landmasses show diversity. Creative director Peter Moore chose to design the new logo as a mountain, though. This was because he wanted the Adidas logo meaning to represent the obstacle athletes need to overcome.
Trivia
Adi Dassler’s brother, Rudolf, ended up founding rival shoe brand Puma after they got into a fight. This caused a massive scandal when Puma sponsored a German sprinter in the Olympics, but the sprinter showed up at the medals ceremony wearing Adidas.
Adidas shoes are especially popular among the rap community because they appreciate the message of diversity. It’s another call back to the African-American hero, Jesse Owens, who made the shoes famous.
Run-DMC even made a song named “My Adidas”.
Conclusion
The Adidas logo is one of the most recognizable sportswear logos due to its bold three stripe design. The heartwarming message behind the design and its stylish appearance have made it a favorite of both musicians and athletes. Both the trefoil and mountain logos have become a major part of the streetwear style trend, yet they also continue to be a favorite among the athletic community. The Adidas logo history alone speaks of the diversity and excellence we can expect from competitive sports.