In an interview with CNBC-TV18, Adidas India General Manager Nirendra Singh highlighted the brand’s commitment to fostering inclusivity through grassroots programs and partnering with prominent role models from the sports community.
She emphasized equal treatment of male and female athletes in the campaign, aiming to create a platform for female athletes to shine.
More than two-thirds of Adidas’ athlete partnerships in India are women, including heavy hitters like Mirabai Chanu and Nikhat Zareen, and the company aims to inspire young girls to pursue sports. We are determined to provide you with the inspiration and access you need.
Singh pointed out that challenges such as access, safety and social stigma contribute to the significant increase in dropout rates among young girls. However, Adidas is focused on leveraging its global platform to tell the stories of Indian women athletes and encourage the next generation to overcome barriers and succeed.
Through initiatives such as our partnership with the Indian Track Foundation to uncover untapped talent in tribal areas, adidas is investing in long-term change and providing opportunities for young girls to develop into elite athletes.
Below are excerpts from the interview.
Q: What are the factors that make Adidas so popular and popular in this country?What position do you currently want to take in the Indian market?
Singh: Distribution is the key. India is so vast that in order to reach the last fan or the last consumer, you need to have your own stores, franchise stores, your own e-commerce website, your own e-commerce website, commerce like Myntra, Flipkart, Amazon etc. Through our partners, and others like Shopperstop and Metro Shoes, we ensure that Adidas products reach the right consumers at the right price point and with the right distribution. And this is an important aspect. Because we’d rather be there wherever the consumer is, or wherever the consumer is in the country.
Another aspect is getting the product right. As a global brand, we have the power and authority to make the right products for the right consumers in India. Our global reach is vast. We create thousands of articles that benefit various consumers across the world and deliver these products to India.
What’s interesting is that for some of the distribution and some of the middle class, we manufacture in India and that’s the other side. So we do a lot of localization in India through our products. So, while they may not be available at global price points, they are made in India, designed in India, and in some cases, made in India for India. This last aspect is about getting the message right, using the right platforms for sports and athletes to be relevant to the Indian consumer.
Our partnership with BCCI is a great example of leveraging cricket to reach deep into India. Leveraging Indian athletes to tell a global story is another example of how the story and campaign are global, but the faces and athletes used are local. Once again, we believe we have the best combination of distributed products and marketing campaigns to reach the best consumers.
Q: What is the current state of affairs regarding women in sports for a sports brand like Adidas? And how does Adidas hope to leverage the space for women in sports in this country?
Shin: If you look at the essence of sports, sports are egalitarian and there is no distinction between men and women in sports. However, as far as women’s participation and challenges are concerned globally, the number of women participating in sports is decreasing and the dropout rate is also very high, with twice as many girls dropping out of school at the age of 14 than boys, and various The situation continues. I think that reasons, in some cases access, security, cost, social bias, lack of role models, all of which, in relative terms, contribute to women reaching the top. From a brand perspective, like I said, it’s an equality for us. So whenever we partner with a team like BCCI, Arsenal, Manchester United or a rugby team or a football team, we work with both men’s and women’s teams. I think that is our mission. As far as partnership is concerned, both men and women have a responsibility to give equal weight. I think it’s still early days in India, but we believe the adidas platform is great to bring great stories from Indian female athletes and inspire the next generation of consumers.
We recently launched Harmanpreet and ODI jerseys. The women’s team will also wear them before the men’s team.
Q: How does adidas encourage women’s participation in sports through grassroots programs and what you have in mind for the future?
Singh: I think more than two-thirds of athlete partnerships in India are women. So more than two-thirds are women, and we have really strong athletes like Meerabai Chanu, Nikat Zareen, and Lovlina Borgohain. So, at this level, we believe that by partnering with them and through their stories, we can inspire someone in the world. country.
Q: So representing women as ambassadors also plays a big role in encouraging them?
Shin: Yes, it plays a big role. One of the things that keeps many young girls away from sports is a lack of reliable role models. We believe that when Mirabai and Nikato tell their stories through the platform provided by adidas, their stories are so similar that they are sure to inspire someone to take up the sport. Their story is about breaking barriers, and their story is about perseverance and doing your best. So we’re very excited to provide that platform to elite female athletes. That’s one level. The other level is the grassroots level. Through our CSR efforts, we have acquired several partners. One of the partners that comes to mind for me is the Indian Track Foundation. That’s why the Indian Track Foundation is on a mission to scout untapped talent, primarily girls, from Indian tribes that it believes can eventually become elite athletes. And once they are scouted, they require years of physical training, nutrition, education, and family support. And we believe this is a classic case of someone who has a passion for scouting raw talent and bringing them and their families to win medals. Their stories are undoubtedly extraordinary, but their accomplishments are also inspiring. I may not have complete data, but these kids went through years of training and ended up winning hundreds of gold, silver and bronze medals in national and district level games.
Watch the accompanying video for the entire conversation.
