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Adidas unites its biggest icons to help disarm negative pressure in sport through new global brand campaign
Mumbai: adidas unites its biggest sporting icons from across the world in its latest campaign, to create a positive rallying cry to help everyday athletes believe they can overcome pressure and achieve their possibilities in sport.
The new global brand campaign is driven by feedback and insights from consumers around the world that for many people, negative pressure can affect their enjoyment of sport. To help address this over the course of the campaign, adidas will release a wide range of athlete stories, insights from experts and guidance materials – all designed to help athletes at any level to disarm pressure in sport.
Alongside one of the biggest spectacles in the sporting calendar – the brand kicked off the campaign with a film featuring Pat Mahomes, Trinity Rodman, Lionel Messi, Linda Caicedo, Jude Bellingham, Anthony Edwards, Rohit Sharma, and the New Zealand Rugby All Blacks, dedicated to celebrating athletes dealing with pressure.
Set against the timeless and iconic anthem, ‘Under Pressure’ by Queen ft. David Bowie, the new film spotlights everyday athletes experiencing the weight of expectation and what is possible when they silence its impact with the joyous rallying cry – ‘You Got This.’ The 90-second film climaxes with a tribute to adidas’ star-studded roster performing at the top of their game during some of their most high-stakes sporting moments.
From Jude Bellingham scoring in his UEFA Champions League debut campaign for Real Madrid, to Emily Malewski flawlessly executing her beam dismount at the 2022 German Championships – each athlete showing how they handle pressure to help inspire everyday athletes to do the same.
To bring to life how elite athletes manage pressure and to provide tangible guidance to all athletes, adidas has partnered with neuro11, a group of leading sport neuroscientists. By capturing brain readings from grassroots athletes, alongside elite adidas athletes – Emiliano Martinez, Ludvig Adberg, Nneka Ogwumike, Rose Zhang, and Stina Blackstenius – this part of the campaign shows the mechanics of how the world’s best overcome in-game pressure.
Talking about pressure in his game, Rohit Sharma shared, “Challenges are part and parcel of an athlete’s life. These are opportunities to learn and grow. But converting challenges to opportunities takes a tremendous amount of will power and guts. You really need to push yourself and say, “You Got This.” I have had that attitude all my life and it has enabled me to manage pressure every time I am pushed out of my comfort zone.”
Speaking on the new brand campaign, adidas global brand comms VP Florian Alt said, “In a year of unmissable sport, where our adidas family will undoubtedly inspire a new wave of athletes across the globe, we have created a campaign to help young players confront a universal barrier – pressure. Our new campaign is designed to help bring the joy back to sport and equip all athletes with a simple message; You got this.”
The campaign will be complemented by an ongoing content series featuring athletes across a wide range of sports, as well as events and activations for consumers to take part in. A dedicated global multiplatform media investment will see the campaign reach consumers all over the world, including spectacular out-of-home executions in major cities and high relevance localisations.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
