DICK’S Sporting Goods and Adidas Come Together to Kick It

The Kick-Off

Two popular brands have come together for a recent campaign that might make people delay their commercials snack break.

DICK’S Sporting Goods has collaborated with Adidas to release a new campaign called “Where It All Kicks Off” as excitement builds for FIFA World Cup 2026. The campaign officially launched on June 9, 2026, and features influential athletes such as Lionel Messi, Lamine Yamal, Trinity Rodman, Patrick and Brittany Mahomes, Juanpa Zurita, and Cobi Jones.

The commercials present people who enter a DICK’S Sporting Goods store as they casually browse. They eventually interact with some World Cup, or a specific player’s merchandise, and immediately get transported into a soccer match. This idea alone is a soccer fan’s daydream.

I Got The Power!

The commercials evoke this sense of hype, eminence, and the nervousness of being able to have a once in a lifetime chance of playing a soccer game with someone legendary.

Just Imagine the rush of hearing passionate fans roaring in the sidelines hoping their favorite team will score a goal, only to find out you’re in that very team.

This message not only sells the cleats of someone’s favorite player, but markets this feeling of having undeniable greatness when you put them on.

Adidas Clever Detail

Anyone would think this collaboration has put DICK’S Sporting Goods front and center, but looking at the commercials more closely, we start to see the same logo showing up in a calculated yet clever way.

All the clothing pieces, soccer balls, and shoes featured in each commercial were all marked with the same logo, Adidas.
Although these details may not be seen at first glance, the placement of the logo subconsciously exposes people to the brand through implicit memory. In other words, people may be more inclined to purchase a brand they’ve seen, despite not particularly remembering seeing it.

It is a perfect mesh of brands that have collaborated, as they both hold each other up when appropriate.

The Marketing Takeaway

People don’t just want shoes that are shiny and have their favorite player’s name attached to it, they want to feel it. People want to feel the power and thrill through the product, and this holds especially true with sports marketing. The adrenaline and excitement of playing should directly translate to what they are trying to sell. In other words, the product should become a doorway to an emotional experience, not the other way around.