adidas has unveiled the next phase of its global brand campaign, aiming to inspire athletes around the world with the message “You Got This.” The campaign’s focus is on creating a supportive and positive environment in sports, aiming to combat the pressure that many athletes face from unhelpful behaviors on the sidelines. Featuring a star-studded cast including Aitana Bonmatí, Aliyah Boston, Anthony Edwards, Lamine Yamal, and Trinity Rodman, the campaign highlights how the people around athletes can play a pivotal role in helping them believe in themselves.
According to a global study commissioned by adidas, 4 in 5 athletes often experience negative behaviors from those on the sidelines, including coaches, parents, and teammates. These behaviors, such as excessive post-match analysis, scoreboard shouting, and a singular focus on outcomes, can contribute to unnecessary pressure and discourage athletes from continuing in the sport. In response to this, adidas has developed a set of ‘Sideline Essentials,’ five key behaviors aimed at fostering a more supportive atmosphere for athletes.
The ‘Sideline Essentials’ are part of adidas’ effort to address the ‘Sideline Effect,’ a term coined to describe the impact that both positive and negative sideline behaviors have on athletes. The brand collaborated with sports psychologists to identify common yet unhelpful actions, with the goal of promoting behaviors that empower athletes to perform without additional stress. The advice is delivered by coaching legend Jürgen Klopp and has been validated by adidas’ research, as well as endorsed by top athletes like Bonmatí, Edwards, and Boston.
In addition to offering practical guidance for coaches and supporters, the campaign also highlights the real-world impact of positivity in sport. Aitana Bonmatí, the Ballon d’Or winner, shared her perspective on the importance of support in her own career, crediting her success to the positive influences surrounding her. “It’s so important for everyone to have positive influences in their wider circle,” said Bonmatí, who runs a football camp for aspiring young players. “The ‘Sideline Essentials’ would be helpful for everyone, coaches, teammates, and supporters, to understand the importance of offering the right encouragement.”
The research behind the campaign suggests that if just one of the positive behaviors from the Sideline Essentials is adopted by coaches, parents, and teammates, it could encourage up to 20 million more athletes to participate in sports regularly. This demonstrates the effect that small, supportive actions can have on the overall experience of young athletes, potentially preventing them from quitting and instead fostering long-term engagement in sports.
As part of the campaign’s rollout, adidas will engage with athletes to bring these positive behaviors to grassroots sports. In the coming weeks, some of the world’s best athletes will make appearances at local courts, tracks, and fields, showing their support for young athletes and reinforcing the importance of encouragement in sports. Florian Alt, Vice President of Global Brand Communications at adidas, expressed the brand’s goal: “We want to not only inspire coaches, parents, and teammates but also give them the tools to help athletes believe ‘You Got This’ and create a supportive environment where they can thrive.” Through this campaign, adidas continues its mission to reshape the future of sports by focusing on empowerment and positivity.
