Nike or Adidas? These two rivals have been battling it out to be the best in sports shoes for quite some time now. Although many new athletic brands have come onto the market in recent years, big powerhouses Nike and Adidas still dominate the scene. Their rivalry is as heated as ever, so let’s see who’s currently winning this ceaseless race.
The Age-Old Debate: Nike Or Adidas?
Let’s dive right in and talk about Nike and Adidas’ revenue. Nike is the larger business of the two with 73,100 employees, while Adidas has only 57,016. In 2018, Nike’s revenue was $24.2 billion, with Adidas falling short at $15 billion. But Adidas does come out ahead in one area: revenue growth. Since 2015, Adidas has added $5.8 billion, growing at a steady rate of 17.6%. Nike, on the other hand, has added $4.3 billion at an average rate of 6.8%.
Capitalization is another big area of focus that’s crucial when comparing companies. As of July 2019, Nike’s market capitalization was $140 billion, while Adidas’ was $65 billion. It is important to mention that Adidas has shown stronger share price performance since its shares are outperforming the market. Nike has simply been growing along with industry performance.
In terms of style and the cool-factor, Adidas is ballparks ahead. Their fairly new marketing approach focuses on collaborations with celebrities to produce streetwear sneakers. Nike is still taking a sports-focused approach, collaborating solely with athletes. Adidas feels that their marketing strategy coincides swiftly with the athleisure trend that’s absolutely exploding right now.
Numbers aside, personal preference and style also come into play when deciding between Nike and Adidas. Both brands offer consumers different merchandise, fit and price. I’m personally split- I prefer Nike’s athletic clothing, but I’d choose Adidas’ casual sneakers any day.
This battle is ongoing and we don’t think it’ll be wrapping up anytime soon. The healthy rivalry pushes each company to be their best selves, ultimately driving both to success. At the moment, Nike is still the larger of the two, but Adidas is closing the gap with making styles “cool” again with smart sponsorships. At this point, it’s anyone’s game!