Seeing possibilities
In spring 2021, optimism in the world was in short supply. Yet adidas chose to see possibilities. We relaunched our iconic brand campaign ‘Impossible is Nothing.’ It was originally introduced in 2004 with Muhammad Ali and is now brought to a new generation of athletes, artists, and consumers. ‘Impossible is Nothing’ is an integral part of our strategy ‘Own the Game.’ Besides showcasing our strategic enabler ‘Innovation’ with Adizero, we underscored our strategic focus area ‘Credibility’ with Lionel Messi, Peres Jepchirchir, and Candace Parker.
Told in the documentary style of home footage, the campaign provides a previously unseen side to some of the most documented individuals in the world, enabled via a powerful narrative delivered by friends or fellow athletes, and animated via resurfaced footage from the archives. We shared their stories of hope, inclusion, sustainability and belonging with the aim of inspiring all people to see their own possibilities and regain optimism. Exploring the future they imagined for themselves and making it a reality, the series celebrates the trailblazers that have made history on a global stage such as Beyoncé, Mohamed Salah, and Siya Kolisi. We also emphasized our strategic focus area ‘Sustainability’ with the story of Cyrill Gutsch, founder of for the Oceans. The brand campaign launched in over 50 countries and resulted in over a billion social media views, garnering over 18 million engagements.
To us, ‘Impossible is Nothing’ is not only a campaign but our attitude shared by our community and partners. It is a way of seeing the world for what it can be, not as it is. We are rebellious optimists driven by action to shape a future together. We see the world with possibilities where others only see the impossible. We see the possibility of changing lives through the power of sport.
’Impossible is nothing is more than a campaign – it’s our attitude. This attitude is what inspires us every day and is pushing us to build the future.’
Brian Grevy, Executive Board Member at adidas.
Parley for the Oceans
‘Parley for the Oceans’ is an environmental organization and global collaboration network. Founded in 2012, the initiative aims to raise awareness for the beauty and fragility of the oceans, and to inspire and empower diverse groups such as pacesetting companies, brands, organizations, governments, artists, designers, scientists, innovators and environmentalists in the exploration of new ways of creating, thinking and living on our finite, blue planet.