ADIDAS BE THE DIFFERENCE: WHEN 350 FANS SHOT DOWN A WALL
ADIDAS
/ OVERVIEW
A 300 sqm facade, 5.3 tons of special render, and 24,000 shots – how we made the impossible possible for Adidas in just 6 weeks.
SOOH WHAT
Berlin, June 2015: The UEFA Champions League Final was approaching, and Adidas didn’t just want an event – they wanted to make a statement. The brand was facing a radical transformation – the old soccer boot silos were being scrapped, and the new “X” and “ACE” models were set to define the future. And that called for more than just a classic product launch.
The idea was bold and simple: A massive rendered wall featuring an oversized campaign visual, to be shot down by fans using footballs. Pure symbolism – blast away the old to make room for the new. SOOH WILD!
The problem? Nobody wanted to take on this challenge. Too complex, too risky, too many unknowns. The request landed with us – and we said yes. Not because it was easy, but because it was exactly what SOOH special stands for: making possible what others consider impossible.
The Challenges:
- Location scouting for a suitable 300 sqm building facade with adjacent event space in Berlin-Mitte
- Development of a porous render that reacts to impact and breaks away from the wall, while simultaneously withstanding wind and rain
- A timeframe of just 6 weeks to cover the entire facade with the visual, the innovative render, and teaser motif, plus create an event area with soccer pitch character
- The event was to mark the opening of “The Base” – Adidas’ first urban football center in Berlin
SOOH SPECIAL
/ STRATEGY
SOOH WHY?
The strategic approach was clear: Don’t talk about change – make it physically tangible. The “Be the Difference” campaign needed a moment that made the transformation of Adidas soccer physically palpable.
Why shoot down a wall? Because it was the perfect metaphor: Break through what was. Reveal what’s coming. Achieve something together as a team that would be impossible alone. Pure soccer DNA, translated into an urban spectacle.
Berlin-Mitte as a location was no coincidence – the Champions League Final was taking place in Berlin, the city was gripped by soccer fever. This was where “The Base” was to be established, Adidas’ urban soccer hub. The perfect stage for a launch that connects the street with the sport.
SOOH SPECIAL
/ EXECUTION
SOOH HOW?
Now things got serious. The technical and logistical challenges were massive – and we only had 6 weeks.
The Material Monster:
- 2,500 liters of special render – developed through pure network activation with a partner who created a render that was hard enough to form a 300 sqm wall, yet brittle enough to yield to ball impact
- 5.3 tons of render layer in total, which had to be held on a temporary construction
- 12 tons of scaffolding tubes for the substructure
- 18 tons of concrete to weight and stabilize the entire installation
- 600 sqm of fresh turf for the authentic football pitch atmosphere
The Art Element:
10 graffiti artists applied the oversized campaign visual to the wall using 500 spray cans. Only when the render fell would their work become visible – street art meets product launch.
The Biggest Challenge:
Developing the special render was a balancing act. Too hard, and nobody shoots the wall free. Too soft, and the installation won’t withstand wind and rain. We activated our network, found the right partners, and tested until it worked. From briefing to finished installation in 6 weeks – that was sprint mode in its purest form.
The statics of the entire construction had to be bombproof – 5.3 tons of material, hundreds of people in front of it, in the middle of Berlin-Mitte. No room for error.
Event Day – The Complete Experience:
Around 350 fans came to the #BeTheDifference campaign launch event. What awaited them:
- The Opening Shot: UEFA Champions League winner Salomon Kalou fired the first shot, giving the starting signal
- The Mission: Defeat the wall together and reveal the hidden visual – equipped with the new Adidas Champions League balls
- Test Zone: Try out the new “X” and “ACE” soccer boots
- Small-sided Tournaments: 2-on-2 matches on the fresh turf
- Entertainment: Hosted by Yousef Hammpudah, DJs GIAM & Stimulus heated things up
- Photo Booth: The reddo Social Box with the wall visual as backdrop for social media content
- Free Drinks: In X and ACE style
- Prize Draws: From mini Champions League balls to the coveted tickets for the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final in Berlin
SOOH WOW!
What followed was pure spectacle:
On-Site Impact:
- 350 active participants in 5 hours with pure football passion
- 24,000 shots that collectively “defeated” the wall
- Over 900,000 people saw the massive installation on-site in Berlin
- Sparked a team spirit among all participants to collectively shoot down the complete render
Digital & Media Impact:
- Media Reach: 2.9 million media contacts
- Press Coverage: Sky, various football blogs and online magazines like HORIZONT, kopfsteinrocker, SoccerBible, Marketing Week, and many more
- The installation became a viral hotspot and symbol of Adidas’ realignment
SOOH SPECIAL
/ BEHIND THE SCENES