adidas Chair & CEO Herbert Hainer yesterday said that the company in '14 "will hit a record" $2.7B in annual soccer sales. Hainer said that adidas "will sell more than 8 million soccer jerseys this year, more than the 6.5 million it sold" in '10, the last FIFA World Cup year. In Portland, Matthew Kish noted the company also expects to sell "more than 14 million soccer balls with the design of this year's official match ball, the Brazuca." That is "up from 13 million that featured" the Jabulani design in '10 (BIZJOURNALS.com, 6/24). Hainer yesterday at a press conference said, "We as a brand have by far scored the most goals." He highlighted adidas endorsers in the World Cup such as the Netherlands' Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben and Germany's Thomas Mueller (REUTERS, 6/24).
SHOP 'TIL YOU DROP: In N.Y., Dimon & Hutchinson note U.S. soccer jerseys "were flying off the shelf" yesterday at a Manhattan-based City Sports retail store. Some merch "sold out days ago." Fans "desperate to represent the Stars and Stripes were left to pick through the team's white traveling gear." Clint Dempsey's No. 8 was the "best seller of all the Americans and is even doing better than Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/25).
ANIMATION DOMINATION: VARIETY's Marc Graser noted while Nike's animated short "The Last Game" is meant to "promote Nike's new soccer app," launching July 10, the brand "finds itself in an interesting position." Nike has "gained a massive online audience" for the short and "now has the opportunity to turn the promotion into a digital series that could stream exclusively through the app." As Nike looks to "grow the soccer side of its business, the success of 'Game' now gives Nike a strong following among younger audiences -- something every marketer always wants." The brand would "have to get the approval of each player featured in the short to continue portraying themselves in the show." And that could "become costly, even for Nike" (VARIETY.com, 6/23).
FOLLOW THE LEADERS: Brand engagement on Twitter during the World Cup has been varied, according to an analysis by Atlanta-based CSE. Volkswagen has been promoting its Golf compact car after every goal scored, but what began as a clever engagement with the scoring country's colors shown on the car has now lost engagement. Since June 22, excluding goals from the U.S. team, the content has achieved only an average of 37 engagements per post. Meanwhile, the World Cup ball's official account -- @brazuca -- now has over two million followers. The feed has had content related to the Brazuca's journey to Rio, matches played and players (past and present) (CSE).
