ADIDAS
Localizing adidas content to grow fan community
STRATEGY
BRANDING
SOCIAL MARKETING
production
GLOBAL CAMPAIGNS DON'T always translate seamlessly into local markets. As the creative lead for adidas Philippines’ social media initiatives, my role was to ensure that adidas' presence in the Philippines felt authentic and relevant to Filipinos. This involved producing culturally relevant content, managing event coverage, and engaging the local audience through strategic social media activities.
Key challenges included:
Adapting global assets to align with local cultural nuances
Coordinating with various stakeholders, including brand ambassadors and influencers
Ensuring timely and engaging content delivery across multiple social media platforms
Strategic localization
To bridge the gap between global campaigns and local relevance, our team executed a strategy that positioned adidas within the Filipino cultural landscape. We used social media not just as a broadcasting tool but as an interactive platform where audiences could participate in brand campaigns.
Doubling as a producer, I sourced production teams specializing in guerilla or street marketing. I built a roster of photographers and videographers we could tap at short notice and mobilize for brand activations around the capital.
As part of our strategy, I facilitated collaborations with athletes, local celebrities, and influencers ensuring that these brand ambassadors were aligned with campaign goals.
tl;dr
THE GOAL
Build and expand a community of devoted adidas fans through localized communication efforts
MY APPROACH
Adapted global adidas campaigns to align with Filipino cultural narratives and audience interests
Managed brand ambassadors, athletes, and local celebrities ensuring an authentic connection between adidas and Filipino creators
Acted as producer and creative lead, coordinating with stakeholders across marketing, production, and social teams
THE RESULT
adidas cemented its cultural relevance through hyper-localized campaigns that resonated with Filipino audiences
Drove stronger audience participation and organic engagement through interactive social media activations and strategic influencer collaborations
bts of shoot
Post-production work was also something I oversaw, reviewing and giving feedback to our production teams. Then finessing them further with our internal creative team before publishing the content on adidas social channels.
shoot stuff
shoot stuff
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adidas Originals ss18 #neverfinished launch
One of the most memorable campaigns I led was for the launch of ss18 of adidas Originals with the theme #neverfinished. The global campaign was headlined by Dua Lipa and featured creators embracing a "constant state of beta" creative mindset. The launch event brought together local creators and was hosted in a heritage building called The Ruins in Poblacion.
event photos
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The event blended interactive installations, live customization zones, two stages for musical events, and a digital-first fashion activation. It brought together artists, streetwear enthusiasts, local creators and influencers.
Social activation
My team and I worked on capturing the event in real-time, live editing and publishing the moments instantly across Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Managing on-site social media coverage meant working closely with photographers and designers, curating content on the fly to maintain a consistent brand aesthetic.
event photos
event photos
event photos
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Following the launch, we maintained engagement through a post-event content rollout. To amplify our reach we tapped into influencer collaborations and shared event recaps tailored to their respective audiences. This sustained momentum and kept adidas Originals at the forefront of the local streetwear conversation.
SR, Product designer, JOTSON
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Impact on brand and community
This campaign was one of many that successfully strengthened adidas' local presence. It kept the brand culturally relevant and supported community expansion with measurable increase in engagement seen in the significant uptick in user participation and content shares.
The combination of localized storytelling and influencer partnerships allowed the brand to extend beyond traditional global marketing efforts. It fostered a deeper connection with adidas fans in the Philippines. The strategic real-time content execution of major brand campaigns and launches also contributed to stronger media coverage, further positioning adidas as a cultural tastemaker in the country.
collage of campaign images
shot of me bts
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bts with the team
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gif of adidas runners video
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What I learned
My time with adidas reinforced the importance of adapting global campaigns to fit local markets without losing brand integrity. We saw firsthand how localized content significantly outperformed global content again and again, proving that cultural relevance is key to engagement. Collaborating with local street photographers and production teams ensured that every piece of content authentically reflected Filipino street culture making the campaigns feel more organic and relevant.
Personally, this was a stretch period for me. The work was far more physically demanding than what you'd typically expect in a design or creative role. I still recall standing in the middle of the street, blocking traffic for a late night shoot. My photographer lying down on the ground waiting to capture a key shot of the sole of a new pair of Ultraboost. A couple of professional runners sprinting and jumping over him take after take until we nailed the shot.
Intense but also incredibly rewarding experiences. It pushed the boundaries of creativity in ways I hadn't before. Good times.
SHOUTOUTS TO—
Shayne Madamba - For being an awesome collaborator, a dedicated player/coach, and a design leader who stands by his team even when he has a fractured ankle and should have gone to urgent care right away.
Nicca Soto - For their passion and dedication in learning all things figma. And in their support in building out foundational pieces of the design system.
All the amazing photographers and videographers - For bringing the framework full circle and for tending the growing design system into what is is now today.
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