The Rise and Fall of Adidas Boost: What Happened?

Summary

In this sneaker culture video, Brian and Nacho recount their quest for the Adidas Ultraboost, a game-changing shoe that once held massive hype. They delve into the history of Boost technology, from its development by BASF to Adidas' exclusive licensing and the shoe's initial success. The narrative explores the Ultraboost's rise and fall in popularity, discussing market scarcity, collaborations, and the impact of changing fashion trends. The video ponders why Adidas couldn't maintain its momentum against Nike, highlighting the importance of storytelling in sneaker culture.

Takeaways

• 🛍️ Brian and his brother Nacho used to shop at discount stores like Ross Dress for Less and Burlington Coat Factory for hyped sneakers.
• 👟 They were particularly interested in the Adidas Ultraboost, a game-changing sneaker in the industry.
• 📉 The Adidas Boost line has lost its cultural impact and relevance over time.
• ⚗️ Boost technology was developed by BASF in 2007 and initially pitched to Nike, which turned it down. Adidas adopted the technology and signed an exclusive licensing agreement.
• 🏃‍♂️ The Boost technology debuted in 2013 on the Energy Boost, praised by running professionals, and gained attention in the running world.
• 🎉 The release of the Adidas Ultraboost in 2015 combined style and performance, gaining major traction in both the running and fashion worlds.
• 🌍 Manufacturing limitations created scarcity, increasing the shoe's desirability among sneakerheads.
• 🎤 Kanye West's endorsement and performance in triple white Ultraboosts amplified the hype, leading to instant sell-outs and high demand for various colorways.
• 🛠️ Adidas collaborated with many artists and designers, including Stella McCartney and Parley, to release numerous variations and colorways of the Ultraboost.
• 📉 Adidas's initial success with Boost technology faced challenges as Nike's VaporMax and React lines gained popularity, and fashion trends shifted towards chunky 'Dad' shoes.
• 📖 Adidas's lack of storytelling and focus solely on performance contributed to the decline in popularity, contrasting with Nike's strong American roots and narrative-driven marketing.

Q & A

What was the main purpose of Brian and Nacho's visit to Ross Dress for Less and Burlington's Coat Factory?

Brian and Nacho were searching for affordable alternatives to retail-priced shoes, specifically looking for hyped shoes like the Adidas Ultraboost, as they were always broke.

Outlines

00:00

👟 The Rise and Evolution of Adidas Boost

In this paragraph, Brian introduces the video channel's focus on sneaker history and culture. He reminisces about his early days of hunting for hyped shoes like the Adidas Ultraboost, which was a game-changer in the industry. The video delves into the history of Boost technology, developed by BASF in 2007 and initially rejected by Nike. Adidas, however, saw potential and signed an exclusive licensing agreement. The Energy Boost's debut in 2013 revolutionized running shoes, but it was the 2015 release of the Ultraboost that truly captured the public's attention with its combination of style and performance. The paragraph also touches on the production scarcity that boosted the shoe's hype and the impact of collaborations with artists and designers, including the significant partnership with Kanye West's Yeezy line.

05:00

📉 The Decline of Adidas Boost's Cultural Impact

This paragraph discusses the factors that led to the decline in the cultural impact of Adidas Boost technology. While Adidas originals like the Stan Smith and EQT models gained attention, the company failed to maintain the momentum it had built up. The paragraph highlights several reasons for this decline, including Nike's successful launches of the VaporMax and React lines, Adidas's failure with models like the Deerupt and Prophere, and the changing fashion trends that favored chunky 'Dad shoe' styles. It also points out that Adidas's lack of storytelling might have contributed to the loss of popularity in the U.S. market, contrasting with Nike's strong narrative branding. The paragraph concludes with a call to viewers to explore more sneaker history through a playlist of videos on the channel.

Keywords

💡Sneaker Culture

Sneaker culture refers to the subculture surrounding the design, wear, and collection of athletic footwear. In the video, this culture is the central theme as the narrator discusses the history and impact of Adidas sneakers, particularly the Ultraboost, within this community.

💡Adidas Ultraboost

The Adidas Ultraboost is a line of athletic shoes known for their innovative Boost cushioning technology. It is a popular choice among runners and sneaker enthusiasts for its comfort and style.

Highlights

Nacho and Brian's quest for affordable sneakers led them to search for the Adidas Ultraboost, a game-changer in the industry.

The Adidas Boost line has lost its cultural impact and relevance over time, with the Ultraboost 20 being described as uninspired and gimmicky.

BASF developed energy capsules in 2007, which were the precursor to the Boost sole, initially pitched to Nike but later signed exclusively by Adidas.

The Energy Boost shoe, released in 2013, revolutionized the running world and was praised by professionals.

The Adidas Pureboost, released in 2014, featured a sleek design making it suitable for lifestyle wear beyond performance.

The Ultraboost, launched in 2015, combined style and performance with a Primeknit upper and full Boost sole, gaining popularity in both athletic and fashion circles.

Adidas's limited production capability for the Ultraboost created market scarcity, increasing its desirability among sneaker enthusiasts.

Kanye West's 2015 Billboard Awards performance in unreleased Ultraboosts amplified the shoe's hype.

Adidas collaborated with various artists and designers, including Stella McCartney and Parley, to expand the Ultraboost's appeal.

The Yeezy line, a partnership between Adidas and Kanye West, was a significant factor in Adidas's market success.

Adidas briefly surpassed Air Jordans in U.S. market share, reaching an all-time high for the brand.

The decline in hype for Adidas Boost is attributed to a combination of factors, including competition from Nike's VaporMax and React lines.

Adidas's failure with models like the Deerupt and Prophere, and the public's shift towards chunky Dad shoes, contributed to their loss of momentum.

The lack of storytelling in Adidas Boost shoes is considered a significant factor in their waning popularity compared to Nike's narrative-driven designs.

Despite setbacks, Adidas remains a top contender in the global shoe market, with a legacy of innovation.

The creators invite viewers to explore a playlist of sneaker history videos for more stories and insights into iconic shoe designs.

Transcripts

- Ah, yes, I remember it like it was yesterday,

my big bro, Nacho, and I going to Ross Dress for Less

and Burlington's Coat Factory in search of gold.

We've always been broke,

so we had to find alternatives to paying retail.

We were on the hunt back then for some

of the most hyped shoes on the market.

And no, I'm not talking about the Nike LunarCharge.

What, are you crazy?

I'm talkin' about the industry game-changer,

the one and only, the Adidas Ultraboost.

Welcome back to the channel, everybody.

If you're new here, my name is Brian,

and my Brother, Nacho, and I make videos

on sneaker history and all thing related

to sneaker culture.

So if sneakers are your thing,

then please consider subscribing to this channel

because we drop videos like this all the time,

and you won't wanna miss an upload.

All right, guys, with that out of the way,

let's get into the video.

If you've been paying attention to what's been happening

in sneaker culture, then you're probably not surprised

to learn that the Adidas Boost line has lost

the cultural impact and relevance it once had.

It lost its hype.

I mean, all you have to do is take a look

at their latest offering, the Adidas Ultraboost 20.

It's uninspired, tired, and gimmicky.

That's not to say that other brands don't make

cringe-worthy sneakers.

They do, all the time.

That's also not to say that Boost-equipped Adidas

aren't some of the most comfortable and best-performing

sneakers you can bless your feet with.

There's a multitude of reasons why Boost isn't

as popular as it could have been,

but first let's get into a little history.

Back in 2007, the German Chemicals company BASF

developed a new technology they called energy capsules,

tiny white beads that when molded together

with steam create the Boost sole that

we've all come to know.

Legend has it that BASF pitched this technology

to NIKE first, but they turned them down.

Adidas, however, was interested, and after a few meetings

Adidas signed an exclusive licensing agreement

with BASF.

Adidas spent several years making prototypes,

and in 2013 the revolutionary cushioning material debuted

on the Energy Boost.

The running world was turned on its head,

and the shoe was praised by running professionals

as one of the best shoes of the year.

Boost even made headlines when Dennis Kimetto crossed

the finish line at the 2014 Berlin Marathon

in world-record time wearing a pair of Adizero Adios Boost.

Unfortunately, the shoe basically went unnoticed

outside of the running world.

2014 saw the release of the first Adidas shoe

to feature Boost extended all the way

through the mid sole, the Adidas Pureboost.

While the Energy Boost was straight performance,

the Pureboost has more of a sleek design

that made it lifestyle-ready.

The sneaker launched as a Foot Locker exclusive

and had a lot of hype behind it,

but it wasn't until 2015 when Adidas unveiled

the highly anticipated Ultraboost

that things got really crazy.

A perfect combination of stye and performance,

the Ultraboost featured a Primeknit upper

and Boost running along the entire sole of the shoe.

It was equipped with other Adidas proprietaries

like the Torsion support bar

and the long-lasting Continental rubber outsole.

Adidas marketed the shoe as the best running shoe ever,

and they had a group of elite athletes

like David Villa and Yohan Blake to back it up.

Even though the Ultraboost was advertised

as a performance shoe, it got major traction

in the fashion world.

Thanks to its comfort and sleek design,

the Ultraboost was a massive hit with the general public.

Adidas's original plan was to mass produce the shoe,

but because of the shoe's technological advancements,

manufacturing wasn't so simple.

In fact, Adidas had only one factory in the world

that was capable of producing the Ultraboost

when it released.

This accidentally created scarcity in the market,

and we all know who loves scarcity

and hard-to-cop sneakers: sneakerheads.

This was only amplified by Kanye West's performance

at the 2015 Billboard Awards,

where Kanye wore a pair of unreleased

triple white Ultraboosts.

The hype for this shoe was so huge

that when they did eventually drop,

they sold out instantly.

It created a domino effect, and sneakerheads started

to gravitate towards other colorways as well.

Adidas collabed with many artists and designers,

including Stella McCartney, and even a non-profit

company called Parley, which helps Adidas use plastics

and ocean pollution to create sneakers.

They released dozens of colorways of the Ultraboost

and eventually made cageless versions of the sneaker.

Adidas just kept building on the legacy

of the Ultraboost by releasing different variations

of the model and new colorways,

including the popular NMD model

that crushed the market with it first came out.

Boost was proving itself to be the most revolutionary

sneaker innovation in decades and Adidas knew it.

As for what was next for boost,

well, the timing couldn't have been any better

for Adidas to partner with Kanye West and his Yeezy line.

Adidas gave Kanye the creative freedom

and attention that Nike wasn't giving him,

and as a result, ended up creating one

of the most successful brand partnerships in the world,

the Yeezy line.

Obviously, there's a lot of history to unravel here,

so that will be addressed in a separate history video

on Yeezys, but let talk about what happened to Adidas.

In just a few years after the release

of Boost technology, Adidas was starting

to eat up Nike's market share in the U.S.

They even passed up Air Jordans as the second most popular

shoes in the country.

This was a new all-time high for Adidas,

who previously hadn't had this much success

in the U.S. before.

And it wasn't just Boost that was getting love.

Adidas originals like the Stan Smith

and EQT models were getting a lot of attention as well.

Many Adidas heads thought the company finally had a chance

at dethroning Nike as the top sportswear brand

in the world, but unfortunately that just wasn't the case.

So what exactly happened to all the hype,

to all this build-up and momentum that Adidas had?

Well, the truth is, there is no single reason

why Adidas lost their momentum.

It's a combination of several factors.

For example, Nike saw a lot of success with their VaporMax

and React line, while Adidas kept milking Boost technology.

Releases like the Adidas Deerupt

and the Adidas Prophere were massive failures

and ended up at discount retail stores.

Fashion was changing rapidly, and whether you like

it or not, the chunky Dad shoe look was in,

and Nike once again dominated the trend

with the Nike Air Monarch and the Nike M2Ks.

Meanwhile, Adidas kept making the same old sock-style shoes,

and unfortunately fell out of favor with the public.

Even Yeezys took a hit due to Kanye's at-the-time

frequent controversies.

Let's face it.

The biggest reason Adidas Boost shoes couldn't hold on

to the popularity they had in the U.S. is

because the shoes lacked storytelling.

Maybe it's because Adidas is a German company,

and they don't have the American roots Nike has.

Or maybe it's because they chose to solely focus

on performance, which is great too,

but people love stories, the stories behind the design

and the inspirations that went into it.

Regardless, though, Adidas is still one

of the top contenders

for the world's best shoe brands.

But what do you guys think?

But hey, since we're on the topic of storytelling,

we've put together this playlist for you

of all the sneaker history videos that we've done.

We've don't the Adidas Stan Smith.

We've done the Adidas Superstar.

We just did the Air Max 1, and a lot of cool stories

in those videos, so why don't you go ahead

and check that out, and I'll see you over in those videos.

(relaxing music)

Peace.