Battle of the Brands: Nike vs Adidas

Since the addition of sports on Foothill’s campus, there has been a visible increase in the amount of athletic wear on campus. The battle between Nike and Adidas can be found not only online, but also on the field.

Nike and Adidas are both claimed to be some of “the world’s most valuable brands,” however they hold different core principles and financial situations.

Nike was founded in 1964 in the United States; through social media it has gained more popularity over the years. Nike Pros and Free Runs are among some of their most popular items.

Adidas was a soccer cleat to begin with, when founded in the small town of Herzogenaurach, Germany. In 1954, Adolf Dassler’s efforts with his shoe proved successful as Germany won the World Cup with several players wearing his shoe. Adidas shoes were advertised as half the weight of and having a better design than American shoes. Since then, the brand has been well known for its affiliation with the FIFA World Cup.

The battle between these brands can be found on teams from soccer on a national level to cross country teams in Ventura. Buena’s cross country team has Adidas uniforms, whereas Foothill’s team runs in Nike apparel.

Both companies have approximately the same amount of employees in various countries, however, Nike outdoes Adidas in terms of revenue. Adidas makes almost two-thirds of Nike’s annual sales. This is associated with how popular Nike is on social media sites such as Tumblr and Instagram.

Shelby Collet prefers certain aspects of each brand. “I prefer the fit of Nike, but the quality of Adidas,” she said.

To choose one brand over the other is like tossing a coin. A majority of people prefer Nike, but mostly due to the social “buzz” that follows the brand.

“Nike is trendy, simple and aesthetically pleasing,” said junior Jewelia Stevenson.

Regardless of which brand you prefer, each company will be sure to provide for your needs and offer you high quality products.

I'd play a sport but it would be too difficult for me to choose between being sponsored by Adidas or Nike

— Colin. (@GuerrillaColin) October 8, 2015

-Suvee Ranasinghe