Alongside the official launch of its brand-new football boots line X CRAZYFAST, sportswear giant Adidas has also introduced a China edition, which is touted as being tailored to China’s astroturf field. The announcement was made on the eve of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup which kickstarted on 20 July, timely tapping into the buzz generated by the event that draws worldwide attention.
The hero model known as “P+”, is complemented by two other models named as “P1 Laced”, and “P1 Laceless”. The P+ set made its first major competition appearance on the pitch at the ongoing Women’s World Cup, where it was also available in three Country Exclusives, including Brazil, the US, and the tournament’s co-host Australia.
The product’s China debut was in tandem with the release of a short video, where the brand wittingly creating a football lover persona known as “赖哥” (lài gē), an appellation referring to the character’s habit of making excuses whenever he fails to pass on the ball – a practice that many football enthusiasts find relatable in their training routines. This time it is the artificial grass pitch which takes the blame and then leads to the introduction of Adidas’ solution.
The overall design of the boot is claimed to have been developed with “insight and testing input from an equal gender split of contributors, which ensures football players of all levels, from professional athletes to grassroots amateurs, can benefit from its performance advantages”.
The Chinese edition, in the meantime, is equipped with TX AG (Artificial Ground) outsole, specifically tailored for Chinese consumers. This outsole is Adidas’ latest offering, designed to provide Chinese players with a high-performance tool optimised for artificial turf fields, serving as part of the brand’s localisation efforts. The Chinese customised outsole has been applied to the newly released X CRAZYFAST P1 Laced model and the P3 model.
In addition to the innovative solution, the brand also engaged Tang Jiali, a Chinese professional female footballer, to present the China offering. The 28-year-old is among the 23 players who is currently competing at the Women’s World Cup, therefore, shrewdly jumping at the popularity of the personality and the national sensation around China’s women’s football team too.
By sharply identifying the issues in artificial grass fields and finding a solution to that, Adidas scores in leveraging China’s ongoing football phenomenon. The endeavour also allows Adidas to deepen its localisation, therefore, strengthening its foothold in the lucrative market.
