History of the Adidas Logo

When Adidas was created, founder Adi Dassler had a simple goal: provide athletes with the best equipment so they can achieve the best performance. After years of working with and gathering feedback from athletes and fine-tuning his designs, Dassler registered the “Adi Dassler Adidas Sportschuhfabrik” in 1949. This shoe included the iconic three stripes we know and love today.

Today, the famous three bars you see on the Adidas logo were inspired by the original shoe’s design. They also represent a mountain. In this way, the Adidas logo shows the challenges and wins that athletes face.

Like all successful brands, the Adidas logo has evolved over the years. However, one logo element has been a near-constant: the three stripes. The original Adidas logo wasn’t quite as clear and straightforward, but it contained a spiked running shoe that sported the iconic three stripes.

Later, in 1972, Adidas introduced its trefoil logo design, which is still used as a vintage logo today. Just as the Olympic Games opened in Munich, Germany, Adidas presented the new logo to symbolize performance. Today, the trefoil is part of the company’s Originals collection and represents the Adidas lifestyle. You’ll see people of all ages sporting this logo on their shoes, T-shirts, and other apparel.

Over the years, the Adidas logo has taken many forms, but it has almost always held onto the beloved stripes in each version. In fact, one logo included a slogan that stated, “the brand with the 3 stripes.”

The Adidas logo that exists most prominently today are the three ascending stripes that we know and love. While the trefoil design is still in production and can be found on a wide range of apparel as part of the brand’s Originals collection, you’ll largely find the three stripes logo in use.

The current logo works so well for the brand because Adidas is rooted in sport. The company has recognized that sports play a critical role in people’s lives, both on and off the field. Furthermore, it believes that through sport, “we have the power to change lives.”

Just as Adidas is always endeavoring to expand limits, its logo’s stripes and mountain shape represent an ever-constant climb toward greatness.

The current Adidas logo features three ascending, parallel bars that form a mountain’s shape, which is no coincidence. When you think of sports and the challenges that athletes face, it’s like conquering a mountain in many ways — an uphill battle that takes grit, determination, and a lot of hard work. Like ascending a mountain, athletes are continually climbing toward their goals in search of victory. The mountain also reflects the company founder’s Bavarian origins.

That’s what makes these iconic stripes so appealing to consumers. Athlete or not, this subtle mountain shape is associated with perseverance and greatness.

For most of its history, the Adidas logo has used just two colors to represent its brand: black and white. While it has deviated from this high-contrast color palette to use various accent colors, its use has been limited.

Adidas has used different colors throughout the years for limited edition shoes and other products, as well as the seven colors that resemble a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

As a global brand, these colors represent inclusivity and accessibility among all countries and consumers. These colors also reflect the company’s values, such as collaboration and consumer-centric work.

As a sportswear company, Adidas’s mission to be the best sports brand in the world is reflected in the company’s iconic logo. The unmistakable stripes and their ascension, much like climbing a mountain, visually represent the Adidas attitude of “impossible is nothing.”

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