An immense amount of work goes into the creation of an adidas product. First, Marketing consults with the internal adidas sports and technical divisions and external sources, such as athletes and coaches, to find out where a product is needed, or where other products are falling short. After the consumers' needs and opportunities for product improvements are identified, Marketing presents the concepts to our design department, which creates products to fill these needs with innovative technologies and functional design. Development makes the actual prototypes. Marketing presents these prototypes to the retail market.

Clearly, an adidas product is the result of the intense thought and creative energy of many different people at adidas. Our goal is to crate a product that is honest. In other words, adidas designs products that are intended to perform. The rule is simple, form follows function. The following is a gerneral outline of how an adidas product is created:

1. Marketing evaluates athletes' needs, develops a basic concept of how those needs should be met, and presents the concept to Design.

2. Design sketches possible prototypes to meet the needs expressed by Marketing.

3. Design and Marketing consider the prototype sketches together, narrowing the selection to those they anticipate will most successfully meet athletes' needs.

4. Design works with Development to create a prototype.

5. Marketing, Design and Development meet to review and improve the prototype.

6. Samples are wear-tested to ensure the product meets adidas standards for performance and durability and stands up to the demands of the sport for which it was designed.

7. Preview samples are presented to key accounts and consumer focus groups for feedback. Final changes are made.

8. Salesman samples are distributed to adidas sales representatives for presentation to retailers.

9. Product is delivered to retailers.