Yoga Village

Background: In 2024, ADIDAS introduced a new brand platform, “You Got This”, which aimed to diffuse the pressure around sports so everyone can play with joy. The brief was to create a simple but impactful campaign that captured the “You Got This” spirit for Chinese audiences. In a country where sports participation was experiencing record growth, ADIDAS’ focus on the joy of sports was more relevant than ever. Thus, ADIDAS wanted to use its new brand platform to stand out, create conversation, and strengthen its sports leadership. Strengthening credibility and resonance was critical because the sports market in China was becoming more and more competitive, with global brands investing heavily and local players offering great value and a sense of national pride. Creative Idea: In China, the purest embodiment of “You Got This” is the true story of Yugouliang, an impoverished village where over 80% of residents are over 65, and have joyfully transformed their lives through yoga. Since 2016, yoga has become a daily routine for the elderly villagers, and nearly all have reported improvements in health, energy levels and mood. They practice yoga in its purest form - the wheat fields are their yoga studio, modified mattresses became home-made yoga mats, and colorful headscarves are their yoga outfits. The idea was to use this inspirational story as the ultimate symbol of “You Got This”. Insights & Strategy: Yoga is one of the fastest growing sports in China, but it is also a symbol of wealthy exclusivity. When Chinese think of yoga, they think of young urban women in sleek studios dressed in iconic yoga gear. This narrow image of yoga can create pressure for people who don’t fit the stereotype. In fact, when the Yugouliang seniors were first introduced to yoga, many said “I can’t do this, it’s not for me.” ADIDAS wanted to remove the pressure of self-doubt and encourage everyone to enjoy sports. Indeed, Yugouliang village is proof that even a sport like yoga can transform anyone’s life – whether you are young or old, urbanite or villager, already fit or trying to get fit. Execution: To keep the authenticity of Yugouliang’s stories, ADIDAS used the most natural and traditional form of storytelling: documentary style photographs. We partnered with the original photographer who discovered the village. Having spent four years shooting over 100,000 photos, her love for the villagers and deep knowledge of their lives shows in how she frames and presents every situation. With static visuals, no text and no branded products, this approach maximizes the inherent strength of their sports stories, allowing more people to feel the joy of sports. We displayed these images near a leading yoga brand in a trendy shopping center in Shanghai. These authentic and impactful images diffuse the pressure built up around yoga and powerfully demonstrate the universal power of sports. Results: The story of Yugouliang is an impactful way to show how sports enjoyed without pressure can transform lives. This led to widespread media coverage. Despite no media spend, the total owned media reach was 100K+ with 3.8K engagements in only seven days. In PR, there were 12.14 million impressions worth 4.8 million RMB. The out-of-home campaign generated an exposure of 3.2 million in only 7 days. The response was overwhelming with comments like “everyone has the right to enjoy sports” “I hope that everyone, whether ordinary or extraordinary, loves sports" “While all sports brands are busy with promoting ‘brand’, ADIDAS hasn't forgotten about the essence of ‘sports’”. To get people talking about ADIDAS and sports again was precisely the objective of the campaign. The story of Yugouliang is just a starting point. ADIDAS will continue to celebrate other authentic sports stories to inspire a broader audience.