Adidas

Adidas' Package Design Elevates Branding With New Slogan

Adidas' slogan may be "Impossible is nothing," but their Z.N.E. clothing line resulted in a motto that easily stands on its own two feet: Find Focus.

Find Focus was more than just an Instagram-worthy package design -- it was an all-encompassing campaign. Adidas utilized social media marketing, video content, commercials, and a specialized landing page on their website to promote this new line of athletic clothing and performance wear. 

Adidas 'Find Focus' Fosters Positive Consumer Energy

The hallmark product that the Find Focus branding and design initiative was promoting was the Z.N.E hoodie -- now, a whole line of clothing. Z.N.E. stands for no negative energy. Adidas believes this mentality is the key to finding the determination needed to excel on and off the field. 

London-based creative and design agency Colt designed the packaging that would promote the Z.N.E. clothing and products. They created a sleek and stylish packaging design, which reminds us of the minimalist trend that Apple set a few years ago -- just a logo, white background, and allowing the product to speak for itself (with a few eye-catching design elements, of course). 

The Adidas Z.N.E. Packaging Uses A Simple Yet Strong Color Palette

Adidas is typically a colorful brand, but they took their work to the next level with a clean, all-white apparel design. The black and white create a striking contrast that is minimal, futuristic and completely eye-catching. 

In fact, black and white have a strong effect on consumers when utilized properly. If you examine color psychology and the history of how hues are used, white symbolizes safety, purity, and clarity. It is a clean slate on which people can build. Meanwhile, black demonstrates strength and power. 

These two juxtaposing colors are frequently used together -- and for good reason, too. Instead of the traditional good-versus-evil aura that black and white color palettes can exhibit, they can also showcase balance. Much like a yin and yang symbol, the two colors are intrinsically tied to one another. One doesn't exist without the other, and thus, they are tenacious together. 

This is why the decision to use black and white alone throughout the entire branding and design is so successful. The harmony between the clear mindset of the white and the fortitude of black represent the courage and grit needed in any sport and in life, ensuring that this package design appeals to the perfect Adidas consumer.

Adidas Incorporates Unexpected Design Elements

The packaging consists of pyramid-textured foam panels that create an acrylic slipcase that is subtle engraved, which is essentially unheard of in the fashion industry. The design agency Colt said this of the creation: 

"The Z.N.E (zero negative energy) hoodie would lead the launch, together with the platform #findfocus. Our packaging enhances the established themes, creating a 'zone' around the contents. By using pyramid foam panels more commonly associated with soundproofing as an external element, we were able to create a unique solution previously unseen in the market. A laser etched acrylic slipcase formed the packaging for the U.S markets. This housed a hinged box enclosed in more foam.

Upon opening the box, users are greeted with a bold yet minimal manifesto of strength and endurance. The name of the brand and campaign are hyper-focused in the middle of the page, while a simple sans-serif font surrounds the marketing initiative with an on-brand copy that reinforces the overall message. 

Beneath the sturdy motto is the embossed portion of the package design. The delicate laser etching adds a geometric, futuristic feel to the overall design -- a big graphic design trend to date. However, the design maintains its elegant and stable appearance. Finally, within the sophisticated box are the Z.N.E hoodie and any other Adidas paraphernalia that they may have sent an influencer or consumer. 

Adidas' Find Focus Campaign Demonstrates Branding And Digital Marketing Done Right

To generate buzz, Adidas Athletics delivered products from the new collection to athletes and influencers; the mysterious white box added to the excitement. With the hashtag #findfocus, people like José Mourinho and Simona Halep received the package and shared it via Instagram, making the box-opening 'reveal' a fundamental aspect in reinforcing the Adidas Athletics experience.

All in all, Adidas' package design is the perfect example of how to execute a visual campaign in 2018. Why? Because it was fully conceived, integrated and executed from start to finish. In the digital age, it's imperative that we find consumers where and when they want to be found, and with products or services that speak to them. Adidas smartly utilized key professional athletes to -- in what often appeared to be an organic way -- promote the product and its unique, identifiable product across several platforms. This allowed the design to shine and created a demand in Adidas' target demographic, which clearly resulted in a long-term larger line of clothing that consumers still covet.