Adidas-Salomon to Open Original Stores

Herzogenaurach, Germany, May 21st, 2001 – As part of its exciting new marketing strategy for the adidas brand, Adidas-Salomon plans to open Original Stores in key metropolises around the world. The first Original Store will open its doors in Berlin in Fall 2001. Further Original Stores are planned for New York and Tokyo. The new adidas brand strategy takes a three divisional approach: Forever Sport, Original and Equipment. All Original Shops will carry exclusively products from the Original Division.

“The Original concept is positioned to convey the heritage, competence and authenticity of the adidas brand. Our Original Stores will provide the ideal stage for implementation of this concept at retail and will initiate new trends through direct contact with our consumers,” commented Erich Stamminger, Member of the Executive Board of Adidas-Salomon AG, responsible for Global Marketing.

The Original Store in Berlin features around 300 m2 and is located in M�nzstrasse in the Berlin-Mitte district of the city.

With its slogan `Once Innovative, Now Classic, Always Authentic�, the Adidas Original Division targets consumers who want to buy trend and fashion products exclusively for leisure usage but still are inspired by sports. This is the division that will carry the majority of the leisure-oriented products that fit under adidas’ new brand positioning of “From Competition to Lifestyle”.

The Original Division has three different product segmentations: Re-introduced, Re-interpreted and Re-designed. Re-introduced products are limited volume re-makes of classic products. Re-interpreted products are based on the authentic original sport version, with updated colours, materials and details. Re-designed products are inspired by the old adidas originals in style and craftsmanship, but put in today’s fashion context. All products in this division will use the classic adidas trefoil logo. The initial launch, with select customers and markets, will take place in the Fall/Winter season 2001. The full global rollout of products in this division will occur in Spring/Summer 2002.