Adidas to move entire ad account out of 180 Amsterdam into Sid Lee
Adidas is moving its entire global advertising business into Montreal-based agency Sid Lee, ending the company’s relationship with 180 Amsterdam, it is understood.
The entire process will take several months to execute it is thought, because of the large number of projects the sportswear company is currently running. 180 Amsterdam will complete work on tasks it has begun and thereafter all briefs will go to Sid Lee, which already holds the advertising account for Adidas Originals. The agency made the recent Star Wars themed-ad which starred David Beckham and Snoop Dogg and Noel Gallagher, among others.
Sid Lee was appointed to retro sub-brand Adidas Originals’ business in 2008 and has won several other pieces of Adidas business since then. It is thought the decision has been taken because Adidas wants to align all its business into one agency.
180 Amsterdam began working for Adidas in 1998, and in 2002 won lead creative duties, which had been held by Leagas Delaney. At the time, the Adidas marketing director was Neil Simpson, now chief executive of Publicis London and the business was headed up by co-founder of 180 Amsterdam, Guy Hayward, now at the helm of JWT London. !80’s most recent work for Adidas was a World Cup campaign featuring Argentinian football star Lionel Messi and Spanish striker David Villa, who performed in stunning style during Spain’s road to glory at the World Cup in South Africa.
