adidas Tang-style track jacket on the Shanghai runway
University of Hertfordshire · 4CTA2054 Concept to Customer · Session 1

Nike is next.
And you are the team.

Adidas cracked the Asian market first. This term you work for Nike. Morning: the case study, the culture, the trends. Afternoon: your research workshop.

Image: adidas, Power of Three, Shanghai 2025 (via SCMP). Reference only, rights restricted.
Session 1 · How today runs

Two halves: learn, then research

AM
Mini-lecture
The theory of cultural intelligence, a deep look at the adidas Asian collections, K-pop fashion culture, and a short trend report. Real products, real numbers, honest limits.
PM
Research workshop
Hands-on. You pick a territory, map a real customer, pull trend evidence, and leave with the first page of your Nike brand playbook. Nicola and I move table to table.
New phrase, plain meaning
Concept to customer is the whole path: the idea, the product, the story, and the way a real person finds it and buys it. Not just a nice design. The journey to the till.
CLOT x adidas black Superstar with red tassels
Part 1 · The idea behind it

Why culture sells clothes

Two simple theories. Keep them in your pocket all day. We test every product against them.

Image: CLOT x adidas Lunar New Year (adidas newsroom), 2025. Reference only.
Part 1 · Two lenses to think with

Theory, in plain words

A
Cultural capital
People buy things that signal they belong and that they "get it". A pankou jacket quietly says "I know this culture". The clothing is a status in knowledge, not just a look.

Use it: ask what wearing your Nike range says about the wearer to people who understand the code.
B
Community and belonging
Fandoms and local scenes give products meaning. A K-pop fan or a football crowd is a ready-made community with its own rules, language and dress.

Use it: ask whose group your range helps a person join, and what the group already wears.
The one-line test
Decoration can be copied overnight. Meaning cannot. The best cultural products carry capital (they say something) and belonging (they connect you to people).
adidas gold Chinese New Year coin with lion dance
Part 2 · Case study

How adidas won Asia

Four moves across eight years. Each one a real product. Watch the idea get smarter, and harder to copy, each time.

Image: adidas Chinese New Year campaign, 2021. Reference only.
Part 2 · The ladder of cultural depth

From a printed zodiac to a re-built garment

01
2018-20 · Decoration
Zodiac animals, licensed characters. A normal shoe dressed for the festival.
02
2021+ · Local design
Backing Shanghai designers and local talent. Chinese authorship, not just motifs.
03
2025-26 · Creator-led
CLOT x Edison Chen: a named creator, a story that runs past the festival.
04
2025-26 · Construction
The Tang-style jacket. The culture is built into how the garment closes.
The lesson in one line
The deeper the culture sits inside the product (design, construction, who made it), the harder to copy and the more it earns. Colour and a celebrity are the shallow end.
adidas CNY Mickey Mouse Stan Smith pack
Image: adidas CNY Mickey Mouse pack (newsroom), 2020. Reference only.
Rung 1 · Decoration

Festival graphics on a normal shoe

What it is
A Stan Smith with a licensed Mickey Mouse comic print and 3D glasses, for the Year of the Rat.
The read
The shoe did not change. Only the surface did. Culture sits on top as a pattern you could swap for any festival.
Theory
Low cultural capital: it says "it is CNY", not "I understand this culture". Belonging is to Disney fans, not to a local scene.
Ceiling
Fun and easy to buy, but forgettable and copyable in a week. This is the floor, not the goal.
CLOT x adidas black Superstar with red tassels and snake socks
Image: CLOT x adidas Lunar New Year (newsroom), 2025. Reference only.
Rungs 2 and 3 · Local design, then creator-led

From in-house print to a named author

What it is
After a hard 2021, adidas backed Shanghai designers (the A.C.E. programme), then handed CNY to CLOT and Edison Chen: snake jacquard, a prosperity coin, tasselled details, anime films.
The read
A real creator with a reputation signs the work. The story is authored, not decorated, and it continues after the festival.
Theory
High cultural capital (insiders know CLOT), strong belonging (Chen's community travels with him). The brand borrows his credibility.
Ceiling
Depends on the creator staying relevant. But far stickier than a print, and much harder to copy.
Edison Chen in adidas x CLOT campaign
Who is Edison Chen?
Founder and creative director of CLOT
Hong Kong-born musician, actor and streetwear founder. CLOT is known for mixing Chinese cultural references with global streetwear, which is why his name gives the collaboration insider credibility.
Close view of pankou frog-button fastenings
Image: adidas Tang-style jacket detail (via SCMP), 2026. Reference only.
Rung 4 · Construction

The culture is in the buttons

What it is
A track jacket closed with pankou (frog buttons), a traditional Chinese knotted fastening. Not a print. A different way of building the garment.
The read
This is decoration vs construction. A printed dragon can be copied overnight. A re-built closure shows you did the homework.
Theory
Highest capital: only people who know will clock it, and that is the point. It signals respect, not costume.
Why viral
It felt earned, so Chinese audiences shared it rather than mocked it. Cultural intelligence, built in.
Traditional Chinese pankou frog-button fastening
Traditional pankou reference
A knotted loop-and-button closure used on Chinese garments. The adidas jacket works because it translates this construction logic into sportswear.
Keep this word
Cultural intelligence: knowing a culture well enough to build it into the product, not just paint it on top.
Part 2 · Does it actually sell?

Adidas is growing again in Asia, with caveats

Greater China sales · reported revenue
2024
€3.46bn
2025
€3.62bn
The direction matters: the market is recovering for adidas. But this is not proof that one collection caused the rise.
H1 2026 · currency-neutral growth
Greater China
+16%
Japan + Korea
+21%
Use these as evidence of momentum, then ask what else may explain it: product, pricing, supply, economy, base effects.
Read it like an analyst
Growth is real, but it is not proof the jackets did it. Reporting rules changed across these years and many things move sales at once. Always separate what happened from what caused it. You will be marked on this discipline.
CLOT x adidas animated campaign still
Part 3 · Culture close-up

K-pop is a culture,
not a logo

Fandom has its own economy, language and dress code. Putting an idol in your advert barely scratches it.

Image: CLOT x adidas animated campaign, 2026. Reference only.
Part 3 · How K-pop fandom actually works

The rules before the clothes

K-pop group campaign reference
Visual reference: team dressing
K-pop styling often works as a group code: coordinated, repeatable, easy for fans to copy in content.
01 · Comebacks
Fashion drops ride a group's release cycle. Timing matters as much as design. Miss the comeback, miss the moment.
02 · Fan platforms
Communities live on Weverse: content, merch notices, paid relationships. Weverse reported 14.43m global monthly users in Q2 2026.
03 · Dress as membership
Off-duty idol style and team dressing become a uniform fans copy. The clothes are a badge that says "I am in".
The honest limit
Big fan numbers are reach, not proven clothing demand, and Weverse users are global, not Korean buyers. Fame opens a door. It does not guarantee a sale.
Part 3 · The same ladder, for K-pop

Face, co-designer, or made for the city

BABYMONSTER in the adidas FW25 ZNE campaign
Shallow: global face
BABYMONSTER front the worldwide FW25 ZNE campaign. Sells an everyday uniform to everyone.
adidas Originals by JENNIE campaign
Deeper: co-designer
adidas Originals by JENNIE (2026). She names and shapes the product, not just models it.
adidas Day and Night Seoul collection
Deepest: made for the city
Day and Night Seoul (2024): a Korea-local range built around Han River life, sold in Korea.
Why it matters for your Nike brief
An endorsement buys attention. Co-design and a local range buy belonging. You will decide which one your Nike range actually needs, and defend it.
Nike x PEACEMINUSONE South Korea
Part 4 · Trend report

Where the market
is moving

The size of the prize, four territories, and the signals shaping each. Choose your ground on evidence.

Image: Nike x PEACEMINUSONE, South Korea (Nike newsroom), 2026. Reference only.
McKinsey chart: sporting goods retail sales by region
Chart: McKinsey and WFSGI, Sporting Goods 2025 (Euromonitor). Reference only.
Trend report · The size of the prize

Asia-Pacific is the biggest block of sportswear, and still rising

Sportswear retail sales in Asia-Pacific: about USD 105bn in 2024, forecast to roughly USD 141bn by 2029. The largest regional block in the world.

A forecast at constant exchange rates, not a promise. Luxury is a different market and is cooling in China in 2025. Do not merge the two.

The trap
There is no single "Asian customer". Shanghai Gen Z, Seoul fandom, Tokyo collectors and Bangkok football fans want different things. Pick one.
Trend report · Choose your ground

Four territories, four different customers

Do not choose a country like it is a moodboard. Choose a customer you can picture, follow, and communicate with at each touchpoint.

Chinese cultural sportswear reference
01 China · Guochao
Chen, 19 · Shanghai streetwear student
Wants Nike to feel local, not tourist. Cares about construction details, pride, and whether friends read it as authentic.
Xiaohongshu save → pop-up try-on → Tmall / Nike app
K-pop and dance culture reference
02 Korea · K-pop
Minji, 18 · Seoul fandom dancer
Needs an outfit that works for rehearsal, fan content, and group identity. Buys the story as much as the product.
Comeback clip → Weverse styling → limited drop
Japanese archive footwear reference
03 Japan · Craft
Ren, 21 · Tokyo collector
Looks for archive meaning, detail, provenance, packaging, and a reason to keep the product long term.
Store editorial → specialist retail → collection post
Thailand football jersey culture reference
04 Thailand · Football / TikTok
Nok, 20 · Bangkok football creator
Needs a jersey look that works for match day, street style, video content, and social proof.
TikTok video → fan comments → Shop / stadium retail
Rule for picking
Choose the territory where you can name a real person, a real need, and a real place they buy. Not the coolest aesthetic.
Part 4 · Where Nike already stands

Nike is already in the room

Looping case board
Nike x PEACEMINUSONE South Korea
Korea · PEACEMINUSONE
G-Dragon, local workwear, community partner.
Nike x Nigo LO2 Air Force 1
Japan · Nigo
Archive authorship and Japanese retail culture.
Nike ONE PIECE Harajuku activation
Japan · ONE PIECE
A fandom experience, not just a logo on a tee.
GLOBAL FACE → LOCAL AUTHOR → FAN EXPERIENCE → WHAT EVERYDAY CUSTOMER IS STILL MISSING? →
So what is the gap?
Not "Nike has no culture". The opening is an everyday, locally co-created range with a clear path from discovery to repeat use, for a customer Nike has not yet served well.
Part 4 · The contrast to investigate

Recently, Nike is down in China while adidas is up

Direction of travel · China
Nike latest qtr
-22%
Nike FY2026
-11%
adidas H1 2026
+16%
Red does not mean "bad campaign". Green does not prove "good culture". This is the question starter.
What the graph should make you ask
?
Research question
If Nike is falling while adidas is rising, what does Nike need to understand locally before designing a new Asian range?
!
Strategy rule
Do not copy adidas. Find the customer Nike has not served well, then build a product journey for that person.
Think like an analyst
Two brands, two directions, measured over different periods and rules. That is a reason to ask why, not to announce an answer. Your Nike range is a smart, evidenced response to a real gap.
Part 4 · Theory made useful

Customer journey map + marketing funnel

Same path, two views. The journey map asks: how do we communicate with this person at each touchpoint? The funnel asks: how are they moving toward purchase?

Customer journey map · touchpoint view
Use this when planning the experience. What does the customer see, feel, need, and do next?
Discover
They notice the culture
TikTok, Xiaohongshu, idol clip, street photo, friend share.
Understand
They read the meaning
Story page, creator explanation, styling context, local references.
Try
They imagine it on them
Pop-up, AR try-on, fit video, lookbook, styling carousel.
Buy
They commit
Nike app, Tmall, SNKRS, store, limited drop, student discount.
Repeat
They keep using it
UGC, dance challenge, match day, community repost, repair or restock.
Marketing funnel · movement view
The funnel is a simple way to show the same customer journey as people move toward purchasing your product or service.
Awarenesssee
Interestsave
Considerationcompare
Conversionbuy
Loyaltyrepeat

Your evidence: reach, saves, comments, store visits, app clicks, pre-orders, purchases, UGC.

AM wrap-up · Practice before lunch

Build one touchpoint row for your Nike customer

10-minute table activity
  1. Choose one territory and one named customer.
  2. Write the trigger: what makes them notice the range?
  3. Map five touchpoints: discover, understand, try, buy, repeat.
  4. Add one funnel measure for each stage.
  5. Circle the weakest touchpoint. That is your research gap for PM.
Worked example · Korea / K-pop
Discover
Minji sees rehearsal styling on TikTok.
Understand
She reads the idol/creator story on Weverse.
Try
She visits a Nike Seoul dance activation.
Buy
She pre-orders the jacket through Nike app.
Repeat
She posts a dance-fit video with her crew.
Output
One row on your worksheet. If every box is generic, your customer is still too vague.
Nike x PEACEMINUSONE campaign reference
Part 5 · Your brief

You are Nike's team

Build Nike's Asian cultural range as a response to the adidas moment. Not imitation. Response.

Image: Nike x PEACEMINUSONE, 2026. Reference only.
Part 5 · Submission

What you hand in

70%
Brand Playbook Portfolio (PDF)
1) Nike range concept and cultural rationale (1-2 pp). 2) 1-pager Brand Playbook, designed A3. 3) Customer Journey Map (1 p). 4) Marketing Funnel (1 p). 5) Campaign shoot imagery (3-5 pp). Harvard references throughout.
30%
Audio Presentation + A3 Summary
A 3 to 5 minute recorded pitch, submitted together with your A3 visual reflective summary as one combined element. You pitch as if to Nike's global marketing leadership.
Important
The adidas case study is provided to you today as teaching material. You do not submit an adidas analysis. Everyone works on Nike. Your creative territory is your choice.
Nike ONE PIECE Harajuku research lab
Afternoon · Research workshop

Now you do the work

Four activities. You leave with a territory, a customer, a trend board, and page one of your playbook.

Image: Nike ONE PIECE Harajuku (Nike Magazine), 2026. Reference only.
PM · Workshop
Afternoon · Run of play

Four activities, one page of your playbook

Activity 1
Pick your territory (15 min)
Use the worksheet. Choose China, Korea, Japan or Thailand. Write why in one line, backed by one signal from the trend report.
Activity 2
Build your customer (25 min)
Name one real person: age, city, what they do on a Tuesday, where they shop and scroll. One sentence on what they feel is missing.
Activity 3
Trend evidence hunt (30 min)
Find five real references from your territory (products, campaigns, street style). For each, note the cultural code and whether it is decoration or construction.
Activity 4
Playbook page one (30 min)
Draft the top of your A3: territory, customer, one cultural insight, and a first range idea. Pin it up. Peer and tutor feedback to close.
PM · Quality bar
Afternoon · What good looks like

The four tests at every table

01
Real person
Could you describe their Tuesday? If not, go deeper before designing.
02
Real need
Is it a genuine gap, or a viral aesthetic? Evidence, not vibes.
03
Construction
One design or build decision that carries the culture, not a print.
04
Copy test
Could a rival copy it in a week? If yes, climb the ladder.
By the end of the afternoon you leave with
A chosen territory, a one-person customer sketch, five trend references, and the top of your A3 playbook pinned up and feedback captured.
Discussion · Five questions

Before you commit

01
Why might adidas's local design authority matter more than its celebrity, and who should shape Nike's range?
02
How do you tell a genuine cultural need apart from a viral aesthetic, before you commit?
03
What must Nike offer beyond an idol endorsement to earn repeat purchase from your community?
04
How does your territory change the product, price and sales channel, not just the advert?
05
What would Nike measure to show culture created value and sales, not just attention?
Resources and reading

Go deeper

The adidas case and K-pop
adidas: Power of Three at Shanghai Fashion Week
adidas newsroom · 2025
History of frog buttons on the viral Tang-style jacket
SCMP · 2026
adidas Originals by JENNIE unveiled
adidas newsroom · 2026
How foreign brands tap China's Guochao trend
Jing Daily · 2021
Trend data and Nike
Sporting Goods 2025: regional market sizes
McKinsey and WFSGI · 2025
Nike Q1 FY2027 results (Greater China, APLA)
Nike investors · Oct 2026
Nike x Nigo Air Force 1 world tour
Nike newsroom · 2026
Nike x PEACEMINUSONE, football culture
Nike newsroom · 2026

Full source list (44 references) and the 14-image visual gallery are in the research pack on the session page. Worksheet and downloads are in the rail beside this deck.

CLOT x adidas animated campaign still
4CTA2054 · Concept to Customer

Adidas answered Asia.
Now it is Nike's turn, and yours.

Pick your territory. Find your customer. Build the range. See you Friday.

Image: CLOT x adidas animated campaign, 2026. Reference only.
N notes
Tutor notes