adidas - #thisisme - Ad Analysis

This adidas Originals campaign from 2014 is a textbook example of how a global brand can achieve local relevance by tapping into a powerful cultural tension. Instead of shying away from the friction between China's collectivist society and the younger generation's burgeoning desire for self-expression, the ad dives straight into it. The core insight is potent: in a culture that often encourages fitting in, the most rebellious and affirming act is to embrace the very labels used to criticize you.

The execution uses a classic Setup-Turn-Payoff structure, executed with relentless energy. The Setup (0:00-0:23) is a masterclass in rhythmic editing. A percussive montage introduces a diverse cast of 'originals,' each embodying a different style. This visual feast is juxtaposed with a litany of judgments spoken in Mandarin: 'Too pink,' 'Too flamboyant,' 'Too geeky,' 'Too manly.' This creates a powerful conflict between what we see—confident individuals—and what we hear—social disapproval. The brand is present on the clothing, but the focus remains squarely on the people. The Turn (0:24-0:25) provides a critical moment of punctuation. The frantic pace halts, the sound drops, and celebrity Eason Chan breaks the fourth wall to look directly at the viewer. His calm retort, 'Well, too bad,' acts as the pivot, rejecting the entire premise of the preceding criticism. The Payoff (0:26-0:30) delivers the campaign's thesis. Chan completes the thought—'cause this is me'—and the beat slams back in. A rapid-fire sequence of empowered faces, including actress Fan Bingbing, is stamped with the campaign's hashtag and call to arms: '#thisisme'. The final Adidas Originals logo elegantly positions the brand not just as a product, but as the enabler of this defiant identity.

The key lesson from this work is that courage and specificity create powerful advertising. Adidas and TBWA\Shanghai didn't dilute the brand's global platform of 'originality.' Instead, they sharpened it against a unique local insight, making the message far more resonant than a generic 'be yourself' campaign could ever be. By turning negative labels into positive affirmations, the campaign gave its audience a powerful tool for their own identity creation, cementing Adidas Originals as a brand that truly understands them.