Ten years ago I was the first time in Korea when we launched the Official Match Ball for the FIFA World Cup 2002 Korea and Japan in Busan. Back then we announced our plans that we want to use the World Cup as a spring board for future double-digit-growth in Korea. Today, ten years later, in a media event preceding the IAAF World Championship in Daegu, we could confirm that this vision has become a reality. Zion Armstrong, Managing DirectorMDMD stands for Managing Director. stands for Managing Director. of the adidas Group (Zion’s the person sitting right next to me in the picture) in Korea, told international and Korean reporters that we are on our way to record results with another year of double-digit growth in Korea in 2011.
This achievement has been driven by significant growth in our performance categories football, training, running and outdoor. Running becomes even more popular in Korea with the adidas sponsored MBC marathon now drawing more than 25.000 runners each year. And Koreans love to go hiking every week-end (Korea is all mountains as I can confirm from my journey here) so that our newly launched adidas Outdoor business unitBusiness Unit (BUBusiness Unit (BU) is an organisation within the company which unites various business functions which are all relevant to a specific market segment. At the adidas Group, BUs are suborientated to the individual brands. Business Units at the adidas Group include BU Basketball, BU Swim or BU Football.) is an organisation within the company which unites various business functions which are all relevant to a specific market segment. At the adidas Group, BUs are suborientated to the individual brands. Business Units at the adidas Group include BUBusiness Unit (BU) is an organisation within the company which unites various business functions which are all relevant to a specific market segment. At the adidas Group, BUs are suborientated to the individual brands. Business Units at the adidas Group include BU Basketball, BU Swim or BU Football. Basketball, BUBusiness Unit (BU) is an organisation within the company which unites various business functions which are all relevant to a specific market segment. At the adidas Group, BUs are suborientated to the individual brands. Business Units at the adidas Group include BU Basketball, BU Swim or BU Football. Swim or BUBusiness Unit (BU) is an organisation within the company which unites various business functions which are all relevant to a specific market segment. At the adidas Group, BUs are suborientated to the individual brands. Business Units at the adidas Group include BU Basketball, BU Swim or BU Football. Football. will actually double its business this year.
adidas Sport Styleadidas Sport Style is defined as the “Future of Sportswear” and includes the labels Y-3, Porsche Design Sport, adidas SLVR and adidas NEO. adidas Sport Style’s positioning statement is “Style your Life”. and Reebok (especially the ZigTech collection) are also very popular with Korean consumers. Furthermore the first CrossFitCrossFit is a strength and conditioning programme with constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement with the goal of improving fitness. CrossFit is closely associated with the Reebok brand. box opened in Seoul earlier this year. By the way: our Managing DirectorMDMD stands for Managing Director. stands for Managing Director. in Korea, Zion, is an avid CrossFitter and is now even a certified CrossFitCrossFit is a strength and conditioning programme with constantly varied, high-intensity, functional movement with the goal of improving fitness. CrossFit is closely associated with the Reebok brand. coach.
Tyson Gay in our media center
The adidas Group in Korea has more than 400 employees and more than 1000 mono-branded stores (mainly franchise stores) across the adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade brands.
So I am already looking forward to my next visit to this exciting country. But in the next couple of days our focus will be on the IAAF World Championships that starts here in Daegu on Sunday. adidas is Official Sponsor of the event and outfits more than 1000 athletes. Many of them actually show up in our hospitality and media centre close to the stadium to get some products, have a drink, relax or talk to the media (and us). This really creates a nice atmosphere.
So stay tuned for more news from Daegu during the course of the IAAF World Championships in Athletics.
