Adidas is retiring its entire football boot range

Adidas has announced that it will retire its entire range of on field football boots as it readies a new line of products, set to launch on 25 May and appear at the Champions League Final.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wANl9uMVvZI&feature=youtu.be

A video released by the brand today (18 May) shows players including Leo Messi and Luis Suarez announcing the end of adidas’ existing range of football boots, including the Predator, f50, 11Pro and Nitrocharge.

The video also hints at the launch of a new range of boots, including a model called “Ace 15”.

Adidas claims the move is part of its efforts to adapt to the changing game of football, which has a “new set of rules”, according to the brand, which adds: “instead of previously defined player types or positions, modern football teams nowadays need only two types of players on the pitch”.

Adidas has worked with top coaches such as Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho on the new line, according to the company, with the launch to be promoted through the hashtag #BeTheDifference.

In January, the brand launched a campaign titled “There Will Be Haters” starring the likes of footballers Luis Suarez and Gareth Bale in an effort to promote its adidas boots as part of its football business.

However, in March it announced it would shift its communications strategy towards “relentless and aggressive storytelling” following the appointment of global creative agency 72andSunny to lead its sports campaigns.

Earlier in the month, Adidas also announced plans to up its marketing investment for its flagship adidas and Reebok brands following sales gains in its latest quarter, despite facing pressure to cut costs as group losses widen.

While Adidas’ gross profit decreased by 1% to €6.924 billion versus 
€7.001 billion year on year due to growing costs, the company’s results, which were released 5 March, showed that sales of its adidas brand were up by 11% in its latest financial quarter.

Meanwhile, rival Nike has focused its attention on its womenswear and e-commerce businesses, crediting both for revenues of $7.5bn in its third quarter of fiscal 2015, up 7% year on year.

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