Adidas would do well to tailor its Chinese business to local tastes rather than simply importing a global formula, writes Bloomberg’s Juliana Liu. The argument lands as the German sportswear giant works to rebuild momentum in a market it once dominated.
The core problem is translation, not product. A sneaker built for a global campaign carries different meaning in Chengdu than in Cologne, and Liu argues the brand has been slow to accept that its Chinese consumer wants locally relevant design, storytelling and community.
Adidas has responded with China-specific collections and local ambassador deals, but the column suggests the effort remains an overlay on a global template rather than a genuine regional strategy. The brand’s World Cup visibility this summer did not automatically convert into Chinese market share.
China was Adidas’s engine room for years, until a consumer reckoning and fierce domestic competition turned the market hostile. Local champions like Anta and Li-Ning now own the cultural conversation that foreign brands once commanded.
