Today Reebok is one of the biggest brands along with adidas, Nike and Puma. Once, in the distant 80s, it was even more popular than its competitors. The company has made its mark on pop culture with tennis, gym and basketball shoes, as well as celebrity collaborations. Reebok has collaborated with, Thierry Henry, Jay-Z, Victoria Beckham and many others. The brand was a sponsor of football clubs, the NHL, worked with the Russian Olympic Committee and the UFC. We will tell you how the history of the British manufacturer of sports shoes and clothing has changed over the years.
Joseph William Foster
Reebok's roots go back to the city of Bolton in England. There, in 1890, Joseph William Foster developed the first spikes for shoes. He got a job in a small workshop above his father's pastry shop. Joseph handcrafted athletic shoes for the best runners in his area. The business began to generate income, after which the inventor founded the company J.W. Foster. As his sons grew older, Foster added "and Sons" to the title. He opened a small Olympic Works factory and gradually became known for running pumps. British athletes competed in shoes emblazoned with the flag. Among them was the Olympic champion Harold Abrahams, who won the 100-meter sprint in 1924.
The next stage of the company's development began in 1958. Joseph's grandchildren Joe and Jeff, who continued the family tradition of making sports shoes, decided to slightly change the brand. The brothers renamed it Reebok, launching the new Mercury model. Interestingly, the name is associated with South Africa. It comes from the word "rhebok", which in Afrikaans means "roe deer antelope" and is correctly spelled "rhebuck". Even more interesting was that Joe had won a Webster's Dictionary in track and field competitions during the war. It was there that he saw the word. He originally wanted to register under the Mercury Sports Footwear name. However, after the brothers failed to do so, Foster gave the agent a list of 12 names. All of them were selected by Reebok.
Reebok classic
Despite the new strategy, the brand was not popular for 20 years. Only in 1979, when the shoes of the British company were brought to international exhibition sneakers in Chicago, they were spotted by Paul Fireman, an American sports equipment retailer. He worked with team sports and negotiated a deal to license and distribute Reebok in the United States. Later that year, Fireman introduced three new $60 models to the market. The line earned $1.5 million. Three years later, the first women's shoes were presented. Thus began the heyday of the corporation.
The starting point of the Reebok Classic is the introduction of the Freestyle aerobics shoe. Originally released in 1982, they were an important step in the development of women's athletic shoes. This detail is especially important, since at that time there were no good suggestions in this category. The Freestyle Hi made a splash with leather construction, padded lining and ankle straps. By 1984, sneakers accounted for half of Reebok's sales. Two years later, popularity reached a new peak, after the launch advertising campaign Life is Not a Spectator Sport. By encouraging women to exercise in a fast paced, healthy lifestyle world, the company has created a new generation of women's sneaker fans. In New York, the model became known as "5411". The fact is that the price of sneakers was $ 54.11 after tax. Thanks to rappers such as Redman and DMX, who featured in 5411's songs, Freestyle's middle name took to the streets.
At that time, the brand released hits one after another. Along with Freestyle, the iconic Classic Leather was created in 1983. They are recognized for their simple design compared to other running shoes. The sneaker included Bi-Density Shock Protection System technology for stability and perforations for better breathability. They were also made from leather. White Classic Leather has become a classic for all time. They remain so today.
Then the Newport Classic (NPC) and Ex-O-Fit were introduced, which were similar to the Freestyle but were meant for men. In 1985, another iconic Workout cross-training model was released. Sneakers have become functional shoes for training in the gym. They were distinguished by the H-shaped fastening of the lacing. The Club C 85 was also added to the collection of classics. At the same time, the logo in the form of the British flag began to be replaced by new character– vector. This was due, among other things, to the UK government's ban on using the flag for advertising purposes.
Reebok Classic later created the Retro Running line to reinvent popular styles from the past. The GL 6000 is a lightweight running and training shoe. In the 1990s, Ventilator, DMX Run with latest technology DMX, which is an air capsule, and, of course, the iconic Reebok Pump with an air pumping system. They were followed by InstaPump Fury. Today, almost all of these models are members of collaborations and reissues. A lot of new ones have also been released, such as Sole Fury, Aztrek Double, and Iverson Legacy. They were inspired to varying degrees from the brand's archives.
Ambassadors Reebok
The last decade of the 20th century was both challenging and exciting for the company. She made major moves into the basketball market by signing Shaquille O'Neal and launching the Shaq Attack sneaker. Unfortunately the line design was not suitable for potential buyers, especially teenagers, as the trend at the time leaned towards black sneakers. Another important deal was with Allen Iverson, who played for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 90s. Together they released models such as Question and Answer.
There were also other athletes, including footballers Ryan Giggs and Thierry Henry. Tennis player Venus Williams entered into a contract with the brand after winning Wimbledon and the 2000 Summer Olympics. Later, Reebok obtained the rights to manufacture and sell both authentic and replicas of clothing and shoes for National Football League teams. He was the official shoe supplier for Major League Baseball and produced the EDGE Uniform System collection for the National Hockey League. With regard to music and fashion industry, then the brand succeeded here. She has worked with Alisha Keys, Kendrick Lamar, 50 Cent, Jay-Z, Travis Scott, Gigi Hadid and other stars. Let's not forget the scandalous and outrageous MMA fighter Conor McGregor, who brought the brand an army of new fans.
Rapper Oxxxymiron (since 2016), actress Ravshana Kurkova (since 2018), UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov (since 2017) managed to visit Russia as the face of the Reebok brand.
Reebok and UFC
Adidas took over the company in 2006. The deal amounted to 3.78 billion dollars. As a result, the German brand became the official clothing supplier for the NBA. Nearly 10 years later, Reebok was named the main sponsor of the UFC - Ultimate Fighting Championship, an organization that hosts mixed martial arts MMA fights. The agreement was based on the fact that 500 fighters would wear British-branded clothing. It meant that Reebok would become the exclusive representative of the UFC and its athletes worldwide. This is the largest partnership signed by a professional combat organization in its 21-year history. The contract is concluded for 6 years.
By 2017, some clauses of the contract have changed. Under the new structure, athletes with three or fewer fights in the UFC will receive a Reebok scholarship of $3,500 per fight, while athletes with four or five fights will receive $5,000. Previously, both of these categories were included in one level of sponsorship, which brought in $2,500 in profits. This was due to the fact that many participants were not happy with the amounts. They claimed to have received much more from their personal sponsors.
Reebok crossfit
In the new millennium, the company decided to phase out team sports. She began a return to fitness. In 2010, a deal was made with CrossFit, a fitness system created by Greg Glassman. It consists of exercises for strength and endurance - aerobics, gymnastics and weightlifting. The company also hosts the CrossFit Games.
As part of the project, it was decided to conduct Reebok crossfit training in parks, shopping malls and gyms fitness clubs. They can be accessed completely free of charge by appointment. Classes include yoga, crossfit, running, functional training and more. In Russia, events are held in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Abakan, Adler, Vladivostok, Yekaterinburg, Kazan, Krasnoyarsk, Krasnodar, Novosibirsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Obninsk, Orel, Perm and other cities. The full list is available on the website and in official groups social networks. The schedule can be viewed there.
The Reebok-CrossFit collaboration began with the launch of the first CrossFit Nano shoe. They are designed to support athletes in all disciplines including gymnastics, weightlifting and running. Every year the brand works to improve the design.
One of the main features of the first Nano was the spacious design, as well as the U-Form technology, which helped to create custom-sized shoes more efficiently. Subsequent models were overgrown with new features, such as a protective layer in the sole to prevent wear. The dual unit helped with forefoot cushioning and heel stability.
Nano 3 has been equipped with DuraCage in the upper area for more protection. In addition, an overlay has been added to the breathable mesh to prevent chafing and heat buildup. In the fifth version, the mesh was supplemented with Kevlar reinforcement. The seventh model updated with NanoWeave upper technology, while the eighth CrossFit Nano, released in 2018, featured Flexweave innovation. On the this moment there are already ninth sneakers. In addition to shoes, clothing is produced: shorts, leggings, trousers, t-shirts, sweatshirts and socks.
Reebok, a global fitness giant, has unveiled a new branding element, the Delta badge, which symbolizes the three facets of change in a person who goes beyond their capabilities, and is intended to become a symbol of a new era in the history of the brand.
In early 2014, Reebok introduced a new logo. A symbol of positive change for thousands of years, the Delta mark is intended to be a symbol of the brand's new philosophy. The three sides of the Delta triangle represent the three sides of the personality - physical, mental and social - and the changes that happen to a person when he overcomes himself during fitness.
“The new Reebok logo speaks to the new principles of the brand. This sign will become a symbol of all those who, every day, again and again discover their possibilities with the help of fitness. We are convinced that training brings not only physical satisfaction, fitness goes beyond this, it changes you and your attitude towards yourself and the world around you, says Matt O "Toole, marketing director. - This is our symbol of change. And we invite you, with Reebok, to overcome yourself and discover your true potential. Delta is not a logo, it is a symbol. A symbol of new life."
There are no labels and conventions in fitness and there should not be. There are only people who want to live a full life and are not afraid to overcome difficulties, breaking themselves, their character, going beyond the usual. This is a duel against your own calmness and indifference. This is how Reebok sees fitness and how it sees real life.
“We know firsthand the impact that fitness and everything connected with it has on people around the world,” says O “Toole. “And we feel it on ourselves! Our ambitions, work on ourselves, our attitude to fitness and its opportunities have led to major changes in corporate culture brand. Here at Reebok HQ, we are tougher, stronger, more confident. Fitness has changed us, but we shouldn't hold back its power in the office. We know what everyone can achieve with right attitude to yourself, you just have to try to go beyond your capabilities. The new Reebok logo epitomizes this change in ourselves and in each of you."
Since 1986, the brand has used a dynamic logo formed by the intersection of three lines. The new logo will now grace all Reebok fitness apparel and footwear, including collections for running, yoga, dance, aerobics, outdoor training, and fitness trainers.
If you have never heard of this British brand, then let me tell you a little about Reebok. Since sneakers of this wonderful brand can be found in a small village on the African continent, and in any city in our country, it is difficult to find someone who is not familiar with this English brand. Reebok hasn't gained fame, fortune, or fame since day one. Let's take a little trip back in time to trace the humble beginnings of a company that has come a long way to become one of the world's most famous brands.
The idea behind Reebok
Reebok began their journey to fame in 1890 when Joseph William Foster, a sports enthusiast from Bolton, decided to add studs to athletic shoes. Seeing the huge untapped potential in sportswear, he founded JW Foster and Sons Incorporated 5 years later. Foster's company began producing athletic shoes that quickly became popular with world-class athletes. Their shoes were so good that they were even chosen as the shoes for the British athletics team participating in the 1924 Olympics.
History of the brand name
Let's be honest, the name JW Foster and Sons Incorporated isn't very inspiring, hard to pronounce, and even harder to remember. In order to become a truly global brand, the company had to change the name to a shorter and more memorable one. The task was entrusted to the grandchildren, Joe and Jeff Foster began to look for a new name. They came across the name "rhebok" in the South African dictionary, which was used for the name of a local species of antelope that roamed the African continent. Inspired by the word, they changed the company's name to "Reebok".
So in 1958 the name of the legendary brand appeared.
Reebok sneakers enter the US market
Until the 1980s, Reebok was predominantly limited to the UK market. To truly become one of the top sports manufacturers in the world, Reebok had to enter the market in the United States. The first brick was laid in 1979 when American businessman Paul Fireman expressed interest in expanding the brand throughout the United States. He spotted the brand at a sneaker show in Chicago and was amazed at the level of quality in Reebok shoes. Paul Fireman made a deal with the company and called for a division called Reebok USA Ltd to cater to the lucrative American market.
reebok pump original 1989. It was a decision that Reebok will never regret and undoubtedly one of the major turning points in the company's history. After becoming the sole distributor in the United States, Paul Fireman wasted no time in launching Reebok athletic shoes at $60 a pair. But that didn't stop the shoe from instantly becoming a bestseller. Within 2 years of entering the US market, Reebok's sales in the United States reached $1.5 million.
Reebok Women's Sneakers
The Reebok brand has used a proven strategy for the US market that has been successful in the UK. An ingenious and simple move that helped increase sales. They took their competitors by surprise by releasing a line of Reebok Freestyle shoes specifically for women. It was like hitting the nitrous button in a race car, and boosted the company's profits to $13 million a year. next year. This is more than 10 times!
The famous Reebok Insta Pump Fury NBA contract
Realizing the huge popularity of basketball in the United States, Reebok signed licensing agreements with the NBA in 1986. In an attempt to improve the performance of basketball shoes and become a worthy competitor to the Nike Air series (a popular basketball shoe manufactured by Nike), the company introduced the Reebok Pump series. As the name implies, this technology had a unique mechanism based on the principle of pumping air into the sneaker.
Reebok Sermon How does Pump technology work? There is a special container for air supply in the sneakers. The stiffness points are distributed in such a way that they form both the frame and the system of air channels - acting through them, the air fills the container and creates pressure exactly where it is needed. They pump air with the help of a convenient micropump, brought to the surface of the sneaker and looking like a soft volumetric button - business card pump technology.
By using a mini-pump on the basketball-shaped heel of the shoe, athletes were able to adjust the level of foot support to suit their personal preference. This option became an instant hit among professional NBA basketball players. Over 100 NBA players have started wearing Reebok shoes with Pump Technology, including the great Shaq O'Neal. Even though it was big marketing strategy, which boosted sales significantly, Reebok probably wasn't ready for the fight that lay ahead.
Crisis in the 1990s
The 90s was a difficult period for Reebok, Nike outsold them and became the market leader. In a desperate attempt to boost sales, Reebok has released several new lines of sneakers. They signed NBA superstar Shaq O'Neal to a one-on-one deal and began using him to promote the white sneaker line. The idea turned out to be a failure.
Teenagers, athletes and sports fans at this time bought predominantly black sneakers and the release of a series of white Reebok sneakers that completely ignored the market trend went unnoticed. Their sales immediately suffered and the company lost a whopping 20% of its market share. In an attempt to make amends, Reebok ended O'Neal's contract and signed fellow basketball star Allen Everson, luring him into a $5 million-a-year deal. The move paid off and Reebok was finally able to increase sales. However, they lost the top spot in competition with Nike. Now it remains to fight with Adidas to keep the second place.
Reebok for the movie Alien merger with Adidas
The merger of Adidas and Reebok shocked the world, but it was kind of an obvious move. Adidas paid $3.78 billion in a historic 2005 deal to make Reebok its own, according to the report. subsidiary. Now, instead of competing for profits between themselves, the two giants have formed a team to compete with Nike. However, Adidas and Reebok still have a long way to go as Nike remains the market leader in the US by a clear margin. According to a 2014 report, Nike confidently tops the U.S. athletic shoe market with 46%, while Reebok and Adidas hold just 6%.
Reebok classic were invented in 1983. These are the first sneakers ever genuine leather designed for running. The model is suitable for men and women.
The difference between original sneakers and copies
You can distinguish original sneakers from a copy by the following details:
- Box
- Numbering
- paper label
- Side patch
- Perforation
- Eyelets for lacing
- Logo
- tongue
- Sole
- Sneaker shape
- Dense insoles on which you can see logo, brand and sticker with a barcode.
Box
Box Original Reebok Classic sneakers are ribbed with the brand's logo on each side.
Information about sneakers placed on the outside of the box, matches the data on the labels in sneakers. vendor code can be checked with a search engine. Search result there will be photos of sneakers identical to the model in the box:
original paper label
AT original couple running shoes paper label attached to left sneaker and contains a list of the company's activities and the constituent components of the product in several languages. At the copy label attached to right sneaker and does not contain only the logo.
Production
Original Reebok products produced in Italy and Germany, but mostly Vietnam, India, Indonesia, China and Korea. The copy and original compared in this article are made in Vietnam.
The external difference that immediately catches the eye is color products. Black color copy more like blue. In a rich assortment of original products, dark blue colors exist separately.
So many experts spoke rather harshly about the new image of the logo of a well-known trademark. But, let's face it: the Reebok logo has never been cool and cool. Back in the 80s, this brand was considered a fairly cheap brand, whose clothes were mainly worn by teenagers and schoolchildren. And the logo only emphasized this.
You don't always look as cool in Reebok branded clothing (at least not as cool as Nike, Puma, Adidas, etc.), but passable for sports. Perhaps, the attitude towards this brand can be compared with fast food: you understand that this is not so hot what kind of food, but, nevertheless, you buy it with pleasure and absorb it every day.
1980s
Were in history trademark Reebook and where better days. Looking at the evolution of the logo, let's look at the versions that were used between 1986 and 1998.
The early logo did work, which is clear today when we compare it to what we currently see. Great typography was a solid foundation for a good logo style that took hold in 1996 and ran quite successfully for about a decade. But, in 2006, the logo was suddenly and radically changed.
Year 2006
2006 was the year of a drastic change in the logo, namely its typography. It may not have been to everyone's taste, but it still had character, edginess, style, originality, drive, momentum....
Technically, what you see above is most likely not the entire logo. Many experts believe that there was also a full version of the trademark, which for some reason did not see the light of day. Why? Probably because the entire history of the Reebok logo is a clear picture of indecision and chaos in design.
If you look at the evolution of the logo in terms of typography, then everything that happened after 2004 looks pretty weak. Simple, sans-serif fonts look gaudy. No, in no case will we argue that such fonts are not suitable for identity in general. But as a corporate style for a sports brand, it looks somehow sour and dull.
Hello 2014?
Last corporate strategy Rebook also added a logo to the trademark, which, in our opinion, looks more like the logo of a bank, or some other investment, insurance or law firm. In some ways, it even resembles a religious symbol - an occult, sacrificial circle or something like that.
And again: it looks boring, not to mention the fact that the logo sign does not harmonize with the typography used in the logo at all.
To reduce the degree of criticism, we admit that this sign will probably work well in promotional videos - if it is enlarged or cut off, as well as on T-shirts and T-shirts.
It's not all that bad, especially since Reebok itself seems to be quite happy with its new corporate identity. Perhaps the company hopes to refine it a little in the future, and compete with more successful players in the sportswear market.
It is not known what the "powers that be" companies were hoping for by adopting a new image of the logo, let's hope that this was not the only idea, and in the near future we will see a new, much more successful chip from Reebok.
To be fair, this red pyramid thing could have looked a lot more interesting paired with a completely different font style. But what we see now is, by God, just boring.
This is just our opinion, maybe Reebok fans will disagree with us.
