As part of AIBA’s scaling up of its Men’s World Championships, a new partnership secured Adidas Global and @adidasboxing as the official supplier to the 2017 edition in Hamburg. This year’s World Championships will now reach further than ever, with communications relayed across the brand’s official channels in 70 countries. Worldwide exposure will be achieved through innovative social media activations and new digital platforms, and fans and boxers alike will benefit from their booths located within the Sporthalle venue and training area. Adidas’ Double D General Manager Mr Christophe Dessalles reveals more about the partnership.
How far back into adidas’ history does the involvement with boxing go?
The adidas brand has a historical link with boxing that goes back decades. Since 1949, adidas has designed footwear for top athletes and celebrated the world of sports and for years the best boxers on the planet have tested, trained with and, simply, preferred the adidas boxing apparel and hardware equipment. This is the best reward for the brand.
Why was it important for adidas to associate with AIBA and the 2017 World Championships?
Boxing in general is a strong focus for the adidas brand because it has the values associated with being an Olympic sport, but it has also become a lifestyle sport. Being the official supplier of the AIBA World Championships in Germany, the home country of the adidas brand, is somehow natural.
What special activations and spectator engagement can we see in Hamburg?
Maximum exposure is being given to the World Championships on a global scale through our social media channels. We have two experiential booths, one for the public that allows them to discover all the latest innovations in boxing, and one for the boxers’ warm-up area where there is also a dedicated equipment testing area for the boxers and coaches. Everyone also has the chance to take part in our fun new ‘Speed Challenge’ at the adidas booth in the Spectator Zone, where the punch bag has an electronic measuring tool that tests the speed of users’ punches.
What are the values and qualities that are important to adidas that the boxing world can relate to and that relate directly to boxing?
Our years of experience and the endorsement of the best boxers of yesterday and today create the history of the future. The adidas brand has been the official and sole supplier of gloves and headguards for the Summer Olympics in London and Beijing as well as many World Championships and Qualifying events. The boxers judge our quality by its performance in the ring.
AIBA and adidas are long-established in their fields, what is the secret to that longevity?
For adidas, it is high quality products with the motto ‘all the best for the athletes’. The brands are dedicated to safety in the practice of boxing and sport performance.
How does adidas view the current golden age for boxing and the new generation of Olympic greats?
Adidas is supporting the golden age with great products developed for all the different fields of the sport, from Olympic to Pro to Fitness Boxing. Together with AIBA, we can create a new standard for boxing apparel, making it more attractive than ever for spectators and media through modern and stylish products.
Germany’s Abass BARAOU in the #Hamburg2017WCH training area
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