Adidas (own notation: adidas) is a German sports apparel manufacturer and parent company of the Adidas Group, which consists of the Reebok sportswear company, golf company (including Ashworth), and Rockport. Besides sports footwear, the company also produces other products such as bags, shirts, watches, eyewear and other sports and clothing-related goods. The company is the largest sportswear manufacturer in Europe and the second biggest sportswear manufacturer in the world, after its American rival Nike.
Adidas was founded in 1948 by Adolf "Adi" Dassler, following the split of Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik between him and his older brother, Rudolf. Rudolf later established Puma, which was the early rival of Adidas. Registered in 1949, Adidas is currently based in Herzogenaurach, Germany, along with Puma
The 3-stripes mark is without doubt the quintessential adidas symbol. It was created by the adidas company founder, Adi Dassler, and first used on footwear in 1949. Dassler created a symbol that could be immediately recognized when his footwear was used in athletic competition and associated with adidas. He emphasized the association with the slogan 'The Brand with the 3 Stripes'. The 3-Stripes were first used on apparel in 1967. The 3-Stripes now enjoy worldwide recognition as an adidas symbol.
In the late 60s adidas expanded into the leisure and apparel sector, and this prompted Käthe and Adi Dassler to seek a new, additional identification mark for the adidas brand. In August 1971, the Trefoil was born, out of more than 100 ideas. Inspired by the 3-Stripes, it is a geometric execution with a triple intersection, symbolizing the diversity of the adidas brand. This symbol was first used on adidas products in 1972, and later became the company's corporate symbol. Today it plays the important role of representing the adidas Originals collection.
In 1997, adidas decided to introduce an integrated corporate design, choosing as the core element a new and yet familiar logo: the 3 bars. It was designed in 1990 by the then Creative Director Peter Moore, and initially used on the Equipment range of performance products. It is inspired by the 3-Stripes as they appear on footwear. The shape formed by the bars also represents a mountain, indicating the challenge to be faced and the goals to be achieved.
