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November 5, 2026
Adidas Superstar: how an ad became a cultural phenomenon
adidas | WPP | EssenceMediacom Nederland
The challenge: from visibility to brand experience
How do you make a classic like the adidas Superstar popular again with a young audience bombarded with advertising every day? Simply advertising isn’t enough. The real challenge was to genuinely connect with their world, going beyond simply being seen. adidas needed a plan that went beyond viewing figures. The goal: to create an unforgettable, authentic brand experience through a bold physical presence in the heart of Amsterdam.
The strategy: a famous face on a huge scale
The solution was a smart combination of two strengths: working with a well-known creator, Roxy Dekker, and maximum visibility in the city. Instead of spreading her face across countless online posts, she was shown on a huge physical scale. This exceptional visibility delivered immediate results:
- On the three large screens at Weesperplein station, almost 3 million impressions were achieved in two weeks (2,993,368).
- At De Pijp station, more than 634,000 impressions were counted in just one week (634,448).
This approach made the campaign an impressive part of the cityscape, far more than an advertisement. The brand had a powerful presence in the real world that was impossible to miss.
The magic: when your ad becomes the news itself
And then something special happened. The screens became the starting point, rather than the end of the campaign. Roxy Dekker, the singer behind the hit “Sugardaddy”, visited the metro stations and created new content (photos and videos) with her own giant campaign images in the background. As soon as she shared it on her social media, it went viral. Her followers were challenged to visit the locations too and create their own content. The result? A wave of earned attention. The campaign became something people wanted to be part of, instead of something they simply looked at.
Why this approach works
This success story shows that a campaign is at its strongest when everything comes together smartly. Many media owners stop at selling advertising space. We go further and help you turn that space into a stage for interaction and online buzz. Our unique, large screens in prime locations are perfect for making an unforgettable impression and bridging the gap between the physical and digital worlds.
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