In a marketing landscape increasingly driven by emotional intelligence and cultural relevance, Adidas has unveiled the next chapter of its global brand campaign, “You Got This,” marking a strategic evolution in the way brands speak to athletes. First introduced in February 2024, the campaign’s initial focus was on everyday athletes and community engagement. The new phase, launched in February 2025, signals a more profound commitment: not just to performance but to the psychology of support in sports.
A Shift From Pressure to Positivity
At the heart of the campaign is a bold message: “We all need someone to make us believe ‘You Got This.'” In a space long dominated by narratives of grit, individual drive, and relentless competition, Adidas is introducing a countercurrent—one that positions emotional encouragement and collective belief as the proper fuel for athletic potential. It’s a calculated move that aligns with broader shifts in sports psychology, mental health awareness, and the growing cultural appetite for authenticity.
To understand what’s driving this pivot, Adidas commissioned a global research study, surveying over 12,000 athletes across 24 countries. The results were telling: Four out of five athletes reported experiencing unhelpful sideline behavior—from intrusive advice mid-game to immediate post-match debriefs. These findings spotlight the unintended pressure from well-meaning supporters and underscore the need for a culture shift.
The Launch of “Sideline Essentials”
Rather than stopping at data, Adidas transformed these insights into action. The brand introduced “Sideline Essentials,” five behavior-based guidelines that promote supportive sideline conduct. Crafted with input from sports psychologists, these principles—from emphasizing effort over outcome to delaying post-game critique—serve as practical tools for coaches, parents, and teammates.
Prominent voices in the sporting world, including football manager Jürgen Klopp, have endorsed the initiative, lending credibility and resonance. This isn’t just a brand campaign; it’s a behavioral intervention.
Emotional Storytelling as Strategic Currency
The campaign’s narrative is driven by a hero film featuring elite athletes such as Aitana Bonmatí, Aliyah Boston, Anthony Edwards, Lamine Yamal, and Trinity Rodman. These stories are not about the thrill of victory but the quiet power of support. Whether it’s a nod from a coach or a cheer from the stands, each story illustrates how belief from others can define an athlete’s path.
Building on this emotional core, Adidas launched “Illuminated,” a four-part docuseries exploring personal stories of support, including those of NBA star Anthony Edwards and his childhood friend. These long-form narratives deepen the campaign’s impact and create content with longevity and depth—positioning Adidas as not just a brand but a storyteller with a purpose.
Mental Health Meets Marketing Strategy
From a macro perspective, “You Got This” is a masterclass in culturally attuned branding. It aligns seamlessly with rising awareness around mental wellness in sports, a topic that has gained momentum with high-profile athlete disclosures and institutional changes worldwide. Adidas smartly places itself at the intersection of sport and support, leveraging psychological research to build trust and relevance.
Florian Alt, Adidas’ Vice President of Global Brand Communications, summed up the brand’s mission clearly: “We wanted to not only inspire coaches, parents, supporters, and teammates but also give them the tools to help athletes believe ‘You Got This.'” This positioning humanizes the brand while subtly asserting leadership in shaping sports culture.
Differentiation in a Competitive Field
In contrast to Nike’s recently launched “So Win” campaign, which emphasizes personal empowerment and societal defiance, Adidas leans into collective encouragement. This approach carves out distinctive emotional territory rooted in community and shared experience. Where Under Armour focuses on athlete grit and Puma highlights joyful irreverence, Adidas offers a new emotional promise: empowerment through support.
This strategic clarity gives Adidas an edge. The brand also broadens its market reach by expanding its audience beyond athletes to include their ecosystems—parents, coaches, and friends. It’s segmentation with purpose, wrapped in empathy and executed through emotional storytelling.
Campaign Sustainability and Business Impact
Crucially, “You Got This” isn’t a flash-in-the-pan initiative. With ongoing content like the docuseries, media partnerships during March Madness (including a new film debut with Candace Parker), and scalable tools like the “Sideline Essentials,” the campaign has legs. It’s designed for grassroots engagement and is adaptable for global and local markets.
Adidas’ latest chapter offers a blueprint for meaningful, sustained brand storytelling in a world where attention is fleeting, and brand messages are often lost in the noise. It demonstrates how data, insight, emotion, and behavioral science can converge to create a message and a movement.
Adidas isn’t just encouraging athletes to believe in themselves. It’s asking the rest of us to believe in them, too.
