Curious about the entrepreneurial adventure behind inspiring brands, Brand and Strategic Professional Martijn Arets decided to quit his job, hand in his lease car, ignore all uncertainties and follow his dream. For five months, he travelled more than 15,000 kilometres across Europe in a one-of-a-kind 1971 Volkswagen T2 camper van, meeting with the founders, CEOs and brand managers of 20 authentic European brands in what was to prove a unique trip: Brand Expedition. On popular demand, he has bundled the lessons and stories behind 20 appealing European brands such as Lego, Mini, Skype, The Body Shop and Adidas to create Brand Expedition, the book. More information? Check www.brand-expedition.com or send Martijn a Tweet: @martijnarets.

1. READ OUT LOUD
THE STORY BEHIND
- ADIDAS -
CLEATS MAKE ADI FAMOUS

2. BEFORE YOU START….
please look into your camera and tell
us slowly your name, city and
country… Then you can start reading
this paragraph out loud… Have fun!

3. What do David Beckham, Kaka and
Anna Kournikova have in common?
They have all reached the top in
sports wearing adidas shoes. With
world class athletes such as these,
who link their names to the brand,

4. adidas wants to become the number
one sports brand in the world.
Something that seemed all but
impossible towards the end of the
Second World War when its founders,
the two Dassler brothers, argued and
split up.

5. Together with Jan Runau, chief
Corporate Communication Officer
of the adidas Group, I walk through
the park in the German city of
Herzogenaurach that houses all the
Adidas buildings. “This is a former

6. American army base,” Jan tells me.
“Just when we were looking for a
new location, the Americans left here.
To us, this was a great opportunity; to
be able to stay where it had all
begun.” In the park you will find
offices,

7. training locations, an athletics stadium,
and the Adidas brand center, where all
the important presentations take place.
When walking through this park, I feel
like I am walking through the Olympic
village in Lillehammer.

8. It is about more than just sports here.
It is a great place to work, with all its
greenery and serenity. Yet the history
of Adidas is not one that can be
described as serene.

9. - END OF RECORDING-