The Adidas 'three stripes' brand is right up there with the Nike 'swoosh' logo as being one of the most memorable in modern branding history. The three parallel stripes have been with the brand since at least 1949, which barely changed in the decades since. So why 'three stripes' for a logo and how exactly did such a unique corporate design come about? The answer might surprise you.

How Adidas Created a Memorable Logo Brand

Adolf Dassler started his career as a humble German cobbler, crafting shoes in his mother's laundry at the end of the First World War. A rivalry was forged early on with his brother Rudolph, founder of the Puma sports brand, and would continue until their deaths. Adolf Dassler, who preferred the nickname "Adi" founded his sportswear brand, Adidas ("Adi" from Adolf and "Das" from Dassler) after the brothers parted ways during the Second World War.

In the early days, two or three stripes would often feature on the sneakers and shorts created by the brothers as a means to add extra support to the stitching. The 'three stripes' branding would become Adi's trademark after he bought the rights from  Finnish sports company Karhu Sports in 1952. From there even Adi himself called Adidas "The Three Stripes Company."

The Evolution of the Three Stripes Logo

The Adidas logo really hit its stride in 1971 with the adoption of the trefoil logo which integrated the existing stripes into three leaves that represent both the Olympic spirit and the three main continents on Earth. The response was immediate; people loved this incredible new look for the brand. Even today the trefoil logo is the one seen on most Adidas promotional hoodies and sweaters.

By the mid-1990's Adidas had adapted the three stripes into a new-look logo that resembled a mountain, suggesting athletic goals and pushing oneself to the limit. Since this time, the "Equipment logo" as it has been dubbed as become as synonymous with the company as the trefoil logo. The simplicity and consistency with which Adidas design their logos mean there's never any confusion as to who has created their products, the three visible stripes even when placed into different shapes, remain entirely iconic.

These days Adidas has developed a few alternate logos representing their sub-brands each intersected with three stripes. Although the Equipment and Trefoil logos are undoubtedly the most memorable, even the smaller Adidas categories still boast undeniably Adidas branding. When it comes to building a brand around a powerful logo design, few have done it better than Adidas.

Details first spotted here: https://www.highsnobiety.com/p/behind-logo-adidas-three-stripes/