Adidas invests in Bricks and Mortar – an exercise in branding.

06 February 2017

Adidas has just opened a new Flagship store in New York City*. To some this may seem shocking. At a time when everyone is screaming about the death of bricks and mortar and the rise of online shopping why would the retailer invest in more than 45,000 square feet of space in one of the most expensive places on earth? Because Adidas knows that a store is about much more than just sales, it’s about building your brand.

Think of a store as a giant, interactive outdoor billboard where you get to tell your brand story. This is the chance for consumers to not only see, touch and experience your products up close but to see your brand in action.

Adidas’s new two-story flagship store has been designed as a ‘stadium retail concept’ – the entrance to the store mimics the tunnels that athletes enter the field on, you can try on clothes in the ‘locker rooms’ and test drive them on the Turf and the Track.

Clearly this store is about so much more than just selling a pair of sneakers. Some features, like the bleachers, where you can watch live sport on TV or simply observe the people of 5th Avenue, are not directed at product experience at all.

Rather it is about re-enforcing the link between Adidas and athletes. Whether for your high school PE course or a professional game, Adidas has what you need. Aspiring athletes can put themselves in shoes, literally of their heroes.

Not everyone visiting this store will buy something that day. They may come back, they may purchase online, or they may not buy at all but they will all be exposed to and experience the Adidas brand.

We all know outdoor advertising is all about ‘location, location, location’ so where better to put your most powerful billboard than the heart of New York City?

Bricks and Mortar builds brands, so it’s time to start building a presence.

http://www.businessinsider.com.au/adidas-new-flagship-store-2016-12?r=US&IR=T

What This Looks Like in Practice

For example, when working with Great Southern RV, the focus wasn’t simply creating more ads. The strategy centred on positioning their caravans and motorhomes around a clear lifestyle promise – the freedom to travel and explore Australia on your terms. That clarity shaped campaigns, show promotions and social content that resonated strongly with buyers already dreaming about the road.

With St Patrick’s Technical College, the challenge wasn’t marketing activity – it was perception. By repositioning the brand to highlight the strength of vocational pathways and industry partnerships, the messaging shifted from “alternative education” to a powerful career pathway, changing how the college is seen by parents and students.

And for Succoris Psychology, the work went beyond promotion. It involved clarifying how the brand speaks to both clients and clinicians across multiple clinics, creating a structure that supports long-term growth rather than just short-term marketing activity.

In each case, the goal wasn’t simply “more marketing”. It was better-aligned marketing built on clear strategy.

The Pitstop Approach

At Pitstop Marketing, we believe marketing should be a growth engine for the business, not just a collection of activities.

That’s why we focus first on understanding the commercial goals, the audience and the positioning — and then build marketing that supports those foundations.

If you want your marketing to stop feeling like guesswork, get in touch. We want to work with businesses who want to grow.