Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden says this key strategy turned the company around

The useful part

the "no-sayers," CEO Bjørn Gulden told an audience at the Fast Company Innovation Festival in New York. He credits this strategy for turning the brand around after a tumultuous period. The once-lucrative alliance had recently crashed and burned after the rapper made a series of offensive and antisemitic remarks, leaving the footwear company with $1.2 billion in unsold inventory.

How it works

• Sales in China had also plummeted after Adidas raised concerns over alleged forced labor in the Xinjiang region, allowing local competitors to capture significant market share.
• Meanwhile, upstart brands like Hoka and On were starting to make serious inroads into the sportswear market.
• Less than four years later, Adidas is firmly back on track with growing sales, strong profits, and renewed brand visibility across many categories.

Details worth keeping

In March, Adidas's board <a href="https://www.adidas-group.com/en/investors/statutory-publications/ad-hoc-news/adidas-ag-extends-bjorn-guldens-contract-as-chief-executive-officer-and-initiates-transition-at-the-helm-of-the-supervisory-board-2026-03-04" target="_blank" rel="nor...