Every person, even far from the sports world, has at least one item from Adidas or Puma in their wardrobe, and there is hardly a person who has never heard the names of these brands. Has anyone thought about who opened these firms and why, like Kolya and Pepsi, they are constantly compared? It turns out that blood brothers Adolf and Rudolf Dassler became the founders of the brands.
Biography
Adi (as he was called at home) was born in 1900 and became the fourth child in a middle-class family. His father worked in a bakery and his mother worked in a laundry. After the defeat of the German army in World War I, difficult times came to the Dassler house. The country is devastated, officers are returning from the front, inflation - and Adolf's parents are left without work.
2 years they found part-time jobs to somehow survive, and eventually decided to open their own business.
They approached the realization of their idea thoroughly: the laundry was turned into a workshop for future production, the bicycle was converted into a mechanism for butchering skins, the guys, together with their father, were engaged in cutting shoes, and the female half of the family - a pattern fromcanvas.
The first collection looked like slippers. The fabric for their creation was military uniforms, and the soles were replaced by tires from car wheels. Within a few years, they allowed themselves to hire a workforce of 8 people, since more than 50 pairs had to be produced per day. Rudolf de alt with commercial issues, and Adolf Dassler took over the organization of the production process.
Photo of the founders of the warring brands
After 28 years of living together under the same roof, the Dassler brothers are turning into rivals. Their factories are built on opposite ends of the city. A lot of rivalry was transferred to the employees of enterprises, and before starting a conversation about another company, they looked around so as not to blurt out too much. After that, Herzogenaurach received its second name - "the city of curved necks".
The brothers Adolf and Rudolf Dassler died, and reconciliation between them did not happen. The current management of the two companies tried once again not to contact each other. However, on September 21, 2009, on the International Day of Peace, after playing a friendly football match, they decided to end their rivalry and restore good relations.
There is an opinion that this decision was made because of the sports brand Nike, which has taken a large market share, but no one knows whether this is true or not.
First joint venture logo
"Dassler brothers shoe factory in Herzogenauerach"registered in mid-summer 1924. Adolf Dasler was a thoughtful and talented designer, and Rudy was an excellent salesperson. Different characters and human qualities perfectly complemented the cooperation of the brothers.
The very next year, a significant event for the fate of the factory took place. Adi's passion for football was the basis for the creation of the world's first studded sports boot. Soon this novelty, just like slippers, became the main product of the company. Professional athletes, namely football players, quickly appreciated the convenience of the boots, and soon the brothers' company began to expand at an incredible pace. The staff has expanded to 25, and the number of shoes produced has exceeded 100 pairs per day.
The popularity of "Adidas": significant dates
1920 - Adolf Dassler creates the world's first sports shoes. It is handmade, the work process took place in the kitchen of his home.
1924 - foundation of the family business of the Dassler brothers. The whole family is working on the production of shoes.
1927 - home production develops into the "Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory", employing 25 people. The family buys a separate building for the company.
1928 - sports shoes produced by the brothers' company compete in Amsterdam.
1931 - Adolf Dassler produces shoes for tennis players.
1936 - the birth of a son.
1938 - opening of the second factory.
1948 - brothers quarrel, family business section.
1954 - Adidas' annual output exceeded 450,000.
1956 Norwegian factory receives license. Adidas shoes are made outside of Germany.
1959 - son Adi Horst opens a company in France.
1962 - the introduction of the three-stripe tracksuit.
1978 - Adolf Dassler, founder of Adidas, dies.
After his death, the firm passed into the hands of his wife Katharina. When the widow passed away, their son Horst became the head of Adidas.
Founder of Adidas
1948 was a fatal year: the brothers' paths diverged, and the Dassler company, which had already become world-famous by that time, ceases to exist. Each of them gets their own factory, and according to the agreement, none of them had the right to use the name Dassler in the name of their company. Thus, the company "Adidas" appeared, the founder of which was Adolf Dassler. The biography of the brothers from that moment was divided into "before" and "after". This marked the beginning of fierce competition between blood relatives 60 years long.
In the same year, the creation and registration of the famous "three stripes" (the distinctive symbol of "Adidas") further aggravated the situation between the brothers. The fact is that the Dassler family logo originally had 2 stripes, and Adi added another one.
In 1949, Adolf Dassler's company has been producing boots sincerubber studs, and thus outpaces the Puma brand in the competition. But the biggest victory happened in 1952 at the Helsinki Olympics, when most of the athletes were wearing Adidas shoes.
Founder of sports brand Puma
The name came up with Rudolph after he and his brother had a fight to the nines. Of course, the Puma brand will not boast that many athletes preferred its shoes after the collapse, but still, some players of the German national football team took to the field in boots created by Rudolph's company.
The first victory happened only in 1952, when Joseph Bartel, shod in brand products, won the 1500 meters. After 2 years, there was another triumph: a world record for sprinting. Heinz Futterer, who installed it, was wearing Puma sneakers.
It is strange that despite the fact that many celebrities won and, in modern terms, "promoted" the company, the famous logo appeared only in 1960.
A real revolution in the sports world occurred when this brand released a children's collection of sneakers in 1990, where their size was controlled by the child's foot.
Our days
The company was able to open its own office only in 1999, apparently, the spirit of competition was in the first place and did not allow it to lag behind competitors. The ultra-modern building is located in the city of Herzogenaurach, where the "friendly" brothers were born. In the millennium, the French team, fully shod anddressed in the brand's products, becomes the European football champion, and this further enhances the company's global status.
The very next year, Herbert Heiner became the head of the company. The acquisition of the Reebok brand further strengthens its importance, and Adidas becomes the second popular brand, losing the lead to Nike.
Today, the main activity of the company, as in the beginning of development, is aimed at the production of sports products and continuous improvement. At the World Cup held in South Africa, the entire planet watched the game with the Jabulani ball, which was produced by Adolf Dassler's Adidas brand.
Interesting facts
1. The cause of the quarrel between the brothers is still unknown. As they say, they took her to the grave.
2. Celebrities such as Marat Safin, Lionel Messi, Zinedine Zidane, Muhammad Ali, David Beckham and many others won in shoes from the Adidas brand.
Great distribution of products "Adidas" recorded in Russia. Many celebrities wear it, most of them signed a contract with the company and receive a good amount for it.
Monument and personal qualities of Adi Dassler
Adolf never put commercial success in the first place - this bar has always been occupied by his boundless love for sports. From childhood he was active, even at the age of 75 he continued to play tennis and loved to swim in the pool. Until his last breath, Adolf Dassler was engaged in the affairs of hisfamous sports brand.
In 2006, in the city of Herzogenaurach, where the founder of the Adidas company was born, a monument was erected in his honor. The monument is located at the stadium named after him. Bronze Adolf Dassler is sitting on the second row, watching the game among living people, and in his hands he holds a football boot that once conquered the world and gave fame to a simple shoemaker from a poor family.
