"Mi Adidas" mass customization initiative
Many companies are exploring mass customization as a way to demonstrate market leadership and capture price premiums. This case examines adidas’ recent “mi adidas” initiative, aimed at delivering customized athletic footwear to retail customers. It discusses the practical implications associated with expanding the initiative from a small pilot to a wider operation with a retail presence. Along the way, the case enables the reader to evaluate an interlinked set of issues, from marketing, retailer selection and information management, through production and distribution, to project management and strategic fit. The case offers three alternative routes for moving forward as of October 2001 and challenges participants to decide “mi adidas'” future direction! An accompanying video interview provides for added insights and an update on the route chosen by adidas.
Adidas, Consumer Goods, Footwear
October 2001
Cranfield University
Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]
Harvard Business School Publishing
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]
NUCB Business School
1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]
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in Academy of Management Annals July 2023, vol. 17, no. 2, pp. 798-844, https://doi.org/10.5465/annals.2021.0066
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Case reference: IMD-7-2403 ©2023
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