Adidas apologises for plethora of pink boots at World Cup
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
- Adidas CEO Bjorn Gulden apologized for the unusual number of pink football boots worn by players at the World Cup, calling it an accident.
- Gulden stated that the company does not typically know competitors' color schemes before launching new collections.
- He suggested retailers could have intervened to prevent the uniformity but did not hear any objections.
Adidas has issued an apology for the striking prevalence of pink football boots seen at the World Cup, with CEO Bjorn Gulden attributing the uniformity to a mere coincidence.
it was an accident
During a press conference discussing the company's quarterly results, Gulden addressed inquiries about the unusual color choice among players. "I think it's a coincidence, and I hope it will not happen again," he stated, expressing surprise that multiple brands opted for the same hue. While acknowledging pink as a "good color," he found the shared choice "strange."
I think it's a coincidence, and I hope it will not happen again
Various theories have emerged regarding the pink boot phenomenon, including suggestions that the color enhances visibility on the green pitch, thereby promoting the brands' products. However, Gulden indicated that such coordination is unlikely due to the lack of information sharing between competing manufacturers. "We don't have information on what Nike or Puma or New Balance is doing," he explained. He also pointed to the potential role of retailers in flagging such uniform choices, noting, "Retailers normally would tell you: 'Hang on a minute, you're all doing the same color.' But we didn't hear anything. And shame on us, I think no one liked it."
Pink is a good colour, no doubt. But that we all ended up with the same is strange
Originally published by Vanguard. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.