Reebok International Limited is a global producer of athletic footwear, apparel, and accessories and is a subsidiary of Adidas. The name comes from the Afrikaans/Dutch spelling of rhebok, an African antelope or gazelle. The company, founded in 1895, was originally called Mercury Sports but was renamed Reebok in 1960. The company's founders, Joe and Jeff Foster, found the name in a dictionary won in a race by Joe Foster as a boy; the dictionary was a South African edition, hence the spelling. Primarily selling its products in the U.K., in 1979, Paul Fireman, a US sporting goods distributor, saw a pair of Reeboks at an international trade show and negotiated to sell them in North America. Reebok has marketed itself using a variety of ad campaigns.
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Terry Tate: Office Linebacker
The 6-foot-7-inch, 320 lb "Pain Train" ran through the homes of millions of viewers during the third quarter of Super Bowl XXXVII. The fictional character, Terry Tate dubbed the "Office Linebacker", showed inconsiderate co-workers who was boss.
Fan favorite "Terry Tate: Office Linebacker" worked for the fictional company "Felcher & Sons", promoting office etiquette while wearing a Reebok product.
Reebok's "Terry Tate: Office Linebacker" campaign garnered global attention. More than 20 million "Terry Tate" films were downloaded from the Reebok website. The campaign was named the "Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival Golden Lion Award" winner, "Best Actor in a TV Commercial" and "Ten Most Liked and Downloaded Ads of 2003" by Advertising Age and "Most Likeable Ad of 2003" by [USA Today].
I Am What I Am
In February 2005, "I Am What I Am" was a multifaceted campaign which linked all of the brand's marketing and advertising efforts under the "I Am What I Am" umbrella. The campaign encouraged young people to embrace their own individuality by celebrating their contemporary heroes. Celebrities featured in the campaign included music icons Jay-Z, Nelly, Daddy Yankee and 50 Cent; top athletes Allen Iverson, Donovan McNabb, Curt Schilling, Kelly Holmes, Iker Casillas and Yao Ming; screen stars Lucy Liu, John Leguizamo and Christina Ricci; and skateboarder Stevie Williams.
In 2010, Reebok's "I Am what I Am" Campaign was revived, aimed at the 15-20 age group. Celebrities featured in the ad campaign were under 20, including ice hockey player John Tavares, footballers Matthew Stafford and Andre Smith as well as basketball player Derrick Rose.
Run Easy
The "Run Easy" campaign. promotes the social and fun aspects of running, encourages and empowers more people to participate, get involved, and get active.
There Are Two People in Everyone
"Two People in Everyone" is a marketing campaign that expands on the Run Easy theme of attaining a balance between sport and life.
Goku's Power
Fueling Yao's Unlimited Power" is an interactive campaign encouraging fans to give Yao strength and energy for his Olympic journey. The "Yao Ming Power Meter" served as the tracking device to measure Yao's increasing support in his homeland. The campaign allowed consumers to participate in adding to Yao's force, driving home the message that Yao is fueled to compete at his best by his loyal fans. In conjunction with the campaign debut, Reebok launched an interactive website, which is created especially for Yao's fans to demonstrate their support.
Reebok Nation
During the 2007 World Series, Reebok aired a 30-second local TV spot called "Reebok Nation" which showcased Reebok's ties to Boston sports. The goal of the spot was to bring excitement to the Reebok brand in its own backyard during an exciting time for Boston sports — the Red Sox were playing in their 2nd World Series within four years, the Patriots were continuing their unbeaten streak, the new and improved Celtics and Bruins were kicking off their seasons and the Boston College Eagles football team was ranked #2 in the country.
The spot establishes a connection with Reebok and Boston's pro sports teams by showcasing many of the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics and Bruins players who wear Reebok on the field. The spot also featured appearances by actor Donnie Wahlberg, Boston sports legends Bobby Orr, Doug Flutie who labels Boston as "Reebok Nation" and is followed by an appearance by the mayor of Boston.
Reebok Nation aired locally in the Boston market through games 3 and 4 of the World Series and during Patriots, Bruins, Celtics and BC Eagles games.
Framed
Created in partnership with Carat/MY Entertainment and Roadside Entertainment, "Framed" tells the stories of some of today's top athletes from the perspective of some of Hollywood's stars. Celebrities featured in the original series include NBA All-Star Baron Davis "framed" by television and screen star Emmanuelle Chriqui, basketball star Allen Iverson "framed" by music's Nelly, global football player Thierry Henry "framed" by actress Paz Vega, the NFL's 2006 "Rookie of the Year" Vince Young "framed" by actress Regina King, and 2007 World Series winning baseball great David Ortiz "framed" by comedian Carlos Mencia.
The show was about the journey of entertainers becoming first-time directors, and professional athletes making their debut on the big screen. Each half-hour episode followed the athlete/entertainer pair over two days as they get to know each other during the film making process and which culminates in the premiere of a short film.
Your Move
The Your Move global marketing campaign ran in 2008. The Your Move message was communicated to consumers through digital, TV, out-of-home, print, and PR.
Through the TV and web advertising, which features Thierry Henry, Jelena Janković, MS Dhoni and Alexander Ovechkin, Reebok invites consumers to watch these athlete's moves and encourage them to share their moves on. On the site, additional consumer "moves" are also highlighted. These videos help add dimension to the campaign and serve as inspiration to other consumers to upload their own moves.
In addition to being featured in Reebok's digital and TV advertising, Henry, Janković and Ovechkin were joined by many of Reebok's other global brand icons, including Allen Iverson, Roberto Luongo, Andriy Shevchenko, Yao Ming, and Carolina Kluft in print and out-of-home executions.
Lose the Beer Belly
One 2000 UK advertisement saw a man run away from a giant human belly which was chasing him around a built-up area. It was voted 10th best advert of all time by ITV on their 2005 program ITV's Best Ever Ads 2.