Argentina’s World Cup semifinal win over England on Wednesday “crushed” Nike’s hopes of sponsoring a team on the tournament’s biggest stage on Sunday, according to Danielle Kaye of REUTERS. The outcome “represents an assured visibility boost for rival Adidas,” which outfits both finalists: Argentina and Spain. Adidas had sponsored a total of 14 national teams in the tournament. None of Nike’s 12 teams, including semifinalists England and France, managed to secure a spot in the final match. Both companies have “invested heavily in the soccer tournament,” but Nike has been “relying on it for sales and visibility as it tries to right its ship amid years of steadily shrinking market share.” Adidas called the World Cup final a “proud moment” for the company, while declining to share sales projections. M Science research analyst Drake MacFarlane said that Adidas, an official World Cup sponsor, “is a ‘clear winner’ in the athletic footwear and apparel market.” He added that stronger momentum in the U.S. and Europe “helped the brand gain share from Nike in the second quarter.” World Cup demand has “offered a lift,” but Adidas’ improvement “extends beyond the event while Nike continues to face pressure in Europe” (REUTERS, 7/16).
A LOOK AT ROI: VOGUE’s Joe Bobowicz writes for Nike and Adidas, return on investment will be “scrutinized in micro-detail, guiding their approaches to future marketing in both sportswear and broader lifestyle categories.” CreatorIQ noted that Adidas “generated an earned media value (EMV) of $48.9 million from 6,700 posts and almost 3,000 creators between June 1 and June 21, whereas Nike landed on $28.9 million from 4,400 posts and 1,900 creators.” Nike and Adidas have “been the most talked-about brands during the competition.” Archrival Senior Analyst Peter Kalmbach said, “That attention is likely to extend well beyond performance products.” Bobowicz writes that is “good news for Nike” (VOGUE, 7/16).
