Adidas Adicolor: Seven Short Films About Color
The adicolor podcast is a series of seven short films created for Adidas to celebrate “color, customization and personal expression”. The films were created to be specifically viewed on iPods, PSPs and online, which was still a fairly revolutionary proposition back in 2006 when the films were made. A team of excellent directors was put together, with Neill Blomkamp, Psyop, Happy, Tronic, Roman Coppola and Andy Bruntel, Saimon Chow and Charlie White each given an entirely open brief to create a film based on their emotional response to a particular color. The podcasts related to the adicolor global digital campaign for which Adidas had asked 20 artists to design a shoe based on their response to a color. The films feature such surreal scenes as an orgiastic dinner party involving green paintball splashes and a pink-loving teenager’s transformation into a bejeweled figurine. With an original goal of achieving one million views globally, the campaign actually achieved over 25 million views in just seven weeks.
Adidas: Adicolor Project – United Colors of adidas
In 2006 the German athletic apparel company adidas created an innovative ad campaign for the revival of their Adicolor shoe line. They invited filmmakers to create seven short films, each representing a different color. To promote the films, Adidas registered domains for each color-themed film based on their RGB color values.
Although this was the website for the film, BLACK, I must admit that “Pink” by Charlie White is by far my favorite of the series.
Here’s the full series of seven films:
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Adicolor BLACK FILM
Black = r000g000b000
Stills from Saiman Chow’s film for the colour BLACK. The film is a surreal tale about a lonely, crazed panda.
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Adicolor WHITE FILM
White = r255g255b255
Adicolor WHITE was directed by Tronic and sees Jenna Jameson enthusiastically playing a funfair game.
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Adicolor RED FILM
Red = r213g037b053
Roman Coppola and Andy Bruntel created this animated history of the colour red for the adicolor RED film.
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Adicolor BLUE FILM
Blue = r023g075b158
Psyop is behind the adicolor blue film, where New York City is turned black and white, apart from the odd splashes of blue.
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Adicolor YELLOW FILM
Yellow = r254g245b006
Neil Blomkamp directed the adicolor YELLOW film, a gripping tale about robots and artificial life.
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Adicolor GREEN FILM
Green = r006g146b071
Adicolor green by Happy shows a space-age dinner party where everything gets a little out of hand after some green treats are consumed.
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Adicolor PINK FILM
Pink = r243g197b208
Charlie White directed the adicolor PINK film, which sees a teenager turn into a bewelled figurine while her pink teddy looks on helplessly.
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I can't believe it. While I was working on recreating this site from its archived pages, as well as other outside sources, I experienced a disaster that I never want to go through again- water and smoke damage from a fire in my upstairs neighbors' apartment. I was away for the weekend at the shore and when I returned to my lower Manhattan apartment I saw fire trucks and police just leaving my street. I didn't think too much about it until I entered the buildings foyer and smelled the smoke. Then I opened the door to my apartment and encountered the mess from purgatory. Thank goodness I had my dog and computer with me. Smokey smelling, I was expecting to find water damage to the ceiling, walls, and furnishings. I desperately needed reassurance about the condition of my apt & especially my extensive collection of Batman memorabilia. I spent years gathering the best Batman T shirts and hoodies, some very rare ones I bought in Japan, and to tell the truth, they are my most prized possessions and are actually valuable. I even have a Batman sweatshirt autographed by Christian Bale, and a Joker hoodie signed by Jack Nicholson! The bedroom in my apartment is actually a showroom for these special Batman garments which I've been collecting since I was in grammar school. I was also a consultant for an online store featuring a very large selection of Batman shirt designs - MoonAtMidnight.com, which is now my fav webstore. So I was greatly relieved to find that the fire had been limited to the foyer, never reached my apartment, and my Batman collection was completely spared. The whole episode inspired me to make a black and gray animated short entitled Water & Smoke about a NYC rat that goes away for the weekend only to return to his water and smoke filled burrow in a NYC brownstone.
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More Background On Adicolor
The Adidas Adicolor campaign, initiated in 2006, stands out as a pioneering blend of art, customization, and marketing within the sneaker culture. This campaign was built on the foundation of Adidas's rich heritage in innovation and personal expression, which began with the first Adicolor line launched in 1983. Originally, Adicolor introduced all-white sneakers sold with marker pens, encouraging customers to customize their shoes creatively. This concept was reimagined in 2005 with the re-launch of Adicolor, this time including a series of character-themed trainers, such as "Trimmy," "Betty Boop," and "Kermit the Frog," among others, along with a quote from Leonardo da Vinci emphasizing the beauty of colors starting from a white base.
The 2006 campaign took a significant leap by introducing Adicolor Films, a collection of seven short films, each dedicated to a different color in the Adicolor palette. This initiative was a collaboration with the independent film studio Idealogue, involving directors like Neill Blomkamp for "Yellow" and Roman Coppola & Andy Bruntel for "Red". Each film encapsulated themes corresponding to its color, pushing the boundaries of traditional advertising through cinematic expression. The series was a critical success, being the first campaign available for download on the iPod and PlayStation Portable, and received accolades like a D&AD Award and a Yellow Pencil for Excellence in short film. It was also shortlisted at the Cannes Lions for the Titanium Award in 2007, marking a significant achievement in the intersection of advertising and art.
Adidas's decision to re-release the Adicolor line in 2006 showcased an extensive catalog of artist series, custom packs, and collaborations, featuring work by prominent artists like Jeremy Scott and Kazuki. The collection emphasized consumer desire for customization and personal expression, aligning with the early adoption of the custom culture by Adidas. The campaign's innovative approach to marketing, combining product customization with artistic expression and digital engagement, positioned Adidas Adicolor as a memorable moment in sneaker history, reflecting the brand's dedication to creativity and individuality.
For further information and a deeper dive into the Adicolor campaign's impact and legacy, you can explore the detailed accounts provided by Wikipedia, Sneaker Freaker, and Hypebeast. These sources offer comprehensive overviews, including the initial concept, the evolution of the Adicolor line, and the groundbreaking Adicolor Films project that bridged sneakers, art, and digital media in an unprecedented way.
From Design Metrics
The Adidas Adicolor campaign, launched in 2006, was a part of Adidas's broader marketing strategy aimed at reinforcing its brand identity, engaging with consumers on a deeper level, and showcasing its commitment to creativity, personal expression, and sustainability. This campaign, known for its innovative approach of integrating art, culture, and consumer interaction through the medium of color and customization, was a significant move in Adidas's marketing endeavors.
The Adicolor campaign's popularity and impact can be contextualized within Adidas's history of memorable and influential marketing campaigns. Adidas has always been seen as a brand that connects with its audience through practical, people-related advertising, often featuring high-profile celebrities and athletes while emphasizing a positive, inspiring, and motivating brand image. The brand's marketing strategies are crafted to create a positive impact, making Adidas a "good guy" in the eyes of its consumers, showcasing its products as inclusive, diverse, and environment-friendly, emphasizing functionality and sustainability at reasonable prices.
One of Adidas's most iconic campaigns, "Impossible Is Nothing," resonates with the spirit behind the Adicolor initiative, highlighting the brand's belief in the potential of individuals to overcome challenges. This tagline and the ethos it represents have been a recurring theme in Adidas's marketing, demonstrating the brand's dedication to inspiration and authentic messaging. Other notable campaigns, such as "Adidas is All In," "Boost Your Run," "Here to Create," and "Run for the Oceans," each focus on different aspects of Adidas's brand values, including commitment to sports, innovation in product technology, empowerment and creativity, and environmental sustainability.
The "Adidas is All In" campaign, for example, emphasized the brand's commitment to sports and performance, utilizing a diverse range of athletes and celebrities to convey dedication and passion across various disciplines. This campaign, like Adicolor, aimed to engage consumers across multiple channels, including digital and social media, to create a cohesive and engaging brand experience. Similarly, the "Here to Create" campaign focused on empowering women and celebrating creativity, reflecting Adidas's ongoing efforts to break traditional boundaries and inspire individuals to embrace their passions beyond conventional expectations.
The Adicolor campaign, with its focus on personalization and color, tapped into the consumer's desire for self-expression through customization, making it a notable part of Adidas's rich history of innovative and impactful marketing. Through these campaigns, Adidas has consistently demonstrated its ability to connect with consumers on an emotional level, reinforcing its position as a leading sports brand that values creativity, diversity, and sustainability.
Awards
The Adidas Adicolor Films campaign achieved significant recognition in the advertising and design industry, winning a D&AD Award and a Yellow Pencil for Excellence in short film. Additionally, it was shortlisted for the Titanium Award at the Cannes Lions in 2007, showcasing its creative and innovative approach to marketing.