Dive Brief:
Dive Insight:
Reebok is on a mission to reinvent itself as it prepares to separate from parent company Adidas.
The brand brought on Vice President of Creative Direction Kerby Jean-Raymond in September last year, and both Jean-Raymond and Senior Director of Marketing Creative and Design Jide Osifeso have been working on a new vision for the company.
In Reebok’s latest short film, the brand tackles consumers’ inner monologues with a voiceover wondering everything from “do these shoes look good on my feet” to “where do my feet end and the earth begin?” According to the company, it’s an acknowledgement that customers’ thoughts can change from profound to superficial in the same minute.
“I’ve been noticing a lot of anthemic and performative pieces from brands that aim to address big, serious topics. There is a place for that, of course. But here we wanted the opportunity to relate to people on a more personal level by acknowledging that our own internal thoughts are all valid, as weighty or trivial as they may be,” Osifeso said in a statement. “And in doing so, we hope the film’s acknowledgement of wonder and concern without claiming to have all of the solutions leads to a sense of calm and optimism.”
Reebok made a name for itself largely off of the women’s aerobics movement, but it strayed away from those origins as it gained popularity, broadening out into a sports generalist. Under Adidas, it shrank to focus on the fitness market instead, but President Matt O’Toole told Retail Dive earlier this year that he wants Reebok to focus once again on the female consumer.
With a new owner, Reebok has the potential to expand into new categories once more, and Authentic Brands in August noted that it would maintain the company’s footprint “across retail, wholesale and e-commerce channels.” However, the brand still has a long way to go in earning back its place in consumers’ lives and its one-time place at the top of the athletics brand leaderboard.
“Reebok needs to be authentically Reebok,” O’Toole told Retail Dive earlier this year. “Over time, that’s definitely possible. But it’s a step-by-step process, and we’ve got a lot of rebuilding to do right now.”
