Adidas
Experiential Marketing x Creator Activation – New York City
Reintroduction of Adidas Forum taps into NYC's past and present
Let’s begin with a bit of sneaker history; the original Forum was released in the 1980s as a top basketball shoe. Recently, Adidas revamped and redesigned the shoe for today’s culture.
ALT TERRAIN was enlisted to support this super creative product launch activation by Grow, a digital agency renowned for working with pioneering brands.
A vintage city bus from the 80s, branded inside and out with Adidas Forum visuals, was the centerpiece of the creative marketing campaign.
In Brooklyn, Adidas arranged a tour of vintage clothing shops with Gen Z New York City fashion influencers.
Influencers shared outfits that complimented the new Adidas Forum shoe during the one-day activation.
So, that’s the gist, now let’s get into why this is a super smart sneaker reintroduction marketing play.
A Symphony of Nostalgia, Empowerment, and Conversation
The Adidas Forum reintroduction campaign was a masterclass in cultural remixing — blending nostalgic storytelling with modern streetwear relevance. By bringing back a legacy silhouette from the 1980s and embedding it in an experiential activation tied to NYC’s vintage fashion scene, Adidas smartly connected the dots between past and present. The use of a retro-branded 80s city bus wasn’t just a visual stunt — it was a moving symbol of the Forum’s heritage, pulling up to the exact cultural spaces where Gen Z’s fashion identity thrives today. This gave the product history credibility while also making it feel fresh, social, and ready for a modern streetwear moment.
Even smarter: activating through Gen Z fashion local influencers at curated vintage shops. These weren’t just any creators — they were tastemakers embedded in the very culture Adidas wants to resonate with. By encouraging them to style outfits around the Forum, Adidas positioned the shoe as a wardrobe essential, not just a drop. It wasn’t about a hard sell; it was about soft power — letting real people style, shoot, and share in their own way. The result? Authentic content, cultural buzz, and a reintroduced sneaker that didn’t just look cool — it felt earned.
Why this Adidas activation resonated - your marketing takeaways
Bridging the Past and Present:
The activation masterfully weaved together the nostalgic allure of the 1980s, the era that birthed the iconic Adidas Forum, with Gen Z's contemporary fashion sensibilities.
Empowering People to Co-Create:
This empowering approach allowed the influencers to showcase their unique style and creativity, while simultaneously adding value to the Adidas brand.
Leveraging the Power of Authenticity:
By encouraging fashion creators to share their experiences and style creations with their followers, the activation tapped into this powerful force of authenticity.
If you seek to craft a marketing campaign that captures city culture and resonates with today's discerning consumers, look no further than ALT TERRAIN. Share with us your ideas and goals for a complimentary experiential marketing plan.
