In January 2020, adidas Originals celebrated the 50th anniversary of one of their most iconic silhouettes to-date: the Superstar sneaker. From industry-shaking hip-hop group Run DMC, to baller Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, to street skate pioneer Mark Gonzales, the shell toe has been adopted by those who have had a legacy of changing the game in their respective craft.

To celebrate five decades of changing the game, we created an experience that uniquely leveraged technology to enable consumers to meet the biggest cultural icons of today in an immersive, easy to use way.

Instead of posting static images on social media, we designed a “team” of some of the most influential modern-day icons, like Pharrell and Jenn Soto, and then brought it to life through open web AR. It became a living, breathing experience that allowed fans to “meet” their heroes digitally. Through facial recognition, consumers could scan the face of each member of the 2020 Superstar team, which would activate videos, interviews and quotes about what creating change meant to them. It quickly became a dynamic, face-to-face forum.

This streetstyle cutting-edge AR experience spanned the entire adidas brand and across the world, connecting retail, out-of-home, and digital. Because it was powered entirely through open web AR, anybody could take part in the experience, no matter the device or applications. The experience was accessible across 144 markets and in 19 languages, making it truly democratic. 

Too often technology is used as a flash or gimmick. Our approach and output was completely different. We leveraged technology to tell a story of substance and designed a functionality that actually deepend the consumer experience. By taking the brand’s existing physical media placements and connecting them with both the e-commerce and digital marketing ecosystem, adidas was able to close a consumer experience they often struggled to connect. 

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