Adidas to Donate From Sales of MiAdidas to Agassi Foundation During U.S. Open

Andre Agassi, whose charitable foundation will receive $100 for every pair of mi adidas sold in the NY Performace store during the U.S. Open

2005-08-29 - Portland, OR, USA: Sports shoe giant Adidas has announced that for every pair of mi adidas shoes sold at the NY Sport Performance store through the duration of the US Open, $100 will go directly to the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation.

In his first public appearance as an adidas partner, tennis star Andre Agassi immortalized his handprints in concrete in front of a large crowd of fans in the Flagship adidas Sport Performance store at 610 North Broadway at Houston. To demonstrate the mi adidas technology, Agassi went through the program to create his own fully customized pair of mi adidas tennis shoes.

The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation (AACF) was founded in 1994, to provide recreational and educational opportunities for at-risk children in Southern Nevada. Since its inception, the Foundation has supported more than 20 organizations and raised more than $50 million for programs designed to enhance a child's character, self-esteem and career possibilities.

In 2001, the AACF opened the Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy - a public charter school conceived on the belief that nothing has a greater impact on a child's life than the education they receive. Located in the heart of Las Vegas' most at-risk neighborhood, the AACPA is designed to improve skill levels and combat lowered academic expectations while creating a climate of hope among this community's most challenged children. The curriculum emphasizes technology and college preparation while encouraging involvement in community affairs.

For those who may not be familiar with it, the mi adidas program is a customized sports shoe system that includes product experts, a complete range of shoes in different sizes and widths for try-on, and equipment to analyze each foot. First, the feet are measured to determine the best length and width options. Next, adidas uses its Footscan(TM) system, which determines pressure distribution of each foot, along with athlete preferences, to determine the performance characteristics of the shoe. Once the proper fit and function have been determined, the customer can create a uniquely designed pair of shoes by selecting the colors and even stitching a personalized monogram onto the shoe. The finished shoe is delivered to the retail partner approximately three weeks later.

Launched globally in 2000 with soccer shoes, running shoes were added to mi adidas in 2001, followed by tennis shoes in 2002. The New York adidas Sport Performance store is the only current outlet in the US for mi adidas.

It is interesting to see Adidas start a more active promotional campaign for mi adidas. Until now, it has been generally been approached in a very low key way, reflected in the limited number of outlets worldwide. It will be interesting to see if the tie-in Agassi Foundation signals a more intensive endorsement marketing programme for the mi adidas system.

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