Innovation is often the result of audacity and imagination. It was in this spirit that Adidas made its first jump into Web3 in 2021<\/a> with Into the Metaverse NFT drop\u2014 a collaboration between \u00a0Bored Ape Yacht Club\u00a0founders Gordon Goner and Gargamel,\u00a0Pixel Vault\u00a0founder\u00a0GFunk<\/a>\u00a0and influential collector\u00a0gmoney<\/a> \u2014 to welcome Adidas Originals to the virtual world. Since then, the brand has continued to grow and adapt, showcasing that a traditional web2 company can indeed compete effectively with Web3 natives.<\/p>\n Formed in late 2022, Three Stripes Studio<\/a> (TSS) is a unique unit within the iconic sportswear brand focused on the conception and execution of Adidas\u2019 global Web3 campaigns. Its mission is to craft brand strategies, develop partnerships, cultivate communities, and design products. ALTS by Adidas<\/a>, their most recent collection, represents the third and final phase of the Into the Metaverse initiative. It seeks to forge connections, inspire creativity, and foster a sense of belonging. <\/p>\n As Adidas prepares for the reveal, Stacey King<\/a>, Global Head of Communications and Activation, and Vlad Lazarov<\/a>, Global Head of Product for Adidas in Web3, sat down for an exclusive interview with nft now. The two leaders provided in-depth insights into Adidas\u2019s journey in the Web3 space and what\u2019s in store for the future, particularly with the forthcoming iteration of ALTS.\u00a0<\/p>\n The inception of Adidas\u2019 metaverse aspirations began with the establishment of an internal Metaverse Task Force in the second quarter of 2021. Recognizing the power of collaboration, Adidas joined forces with some of the most influential creators in the Web3 realm, including the Bored Ape Yacht Club (Yuga Labs), Punks Comics, and gmoney (9dcc).<\/p>\n On December 17, 2022, with the support of these creators, Adidas launched Into the Metaverse, a collection of 30,000 NFTs that quickly grew in popularity with the community. Following that, Adidas facilitated a free airdrop and the unveiling of its Virtual Gear genesis collection<\/a> \u2014 a digital catalog of 16 wearable items. The airdropped items<\/a> were available to burn for the wearables. <\/p>\n \u201cWe want to bring the community along for a journey.\u201d<\/p>\n Stacey King, Adidas<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n If the brand\u2019s integration with the Web3 domain seems authentic to the community because it actually is. This authenticity stems not only from the brand\u2019s inherent values but also from the fact that the team members were themselves ingrained into the culture that they represented. <\/p>\n \u201cWe want to bring the community along for a journey,\u201d King said. \u201cWe don\u2019t just want to be like, here\u2019s an NFT.’\u201d<\/p>\n King and Lazarov are passionate collectors and members of NFT communities such as Doodles and Deadfellaz, which gave them a deep understanding of the field, its nuances, and its requirements. <\/p>\n In April 2023, Adidas announced that holders of the NFTs from the Into the Metaverse collection (Phase 1 and Phase 2) could burn them in exchange for NFTs from the new ALTs by Adidas collection. In this expansion of the Into the Metaverse ecosystem, ALTs essentially represent ALT[er] egos for holders. <\/p>\n \u201cWe put a lot of thought behind how to make something more than just a visual and integrate it into a journey,\u201d Lazarov said. <\/p>\n Each animated ALT will have specific traits, including Strikes, Sprints, Hoops, Thrills, Amps, Soles, Decos, and Drips. Each trait comes with a specific utility, with benefits being tailored to the holder\u2019s interests. <\/p>\n The universality of ALTS by Adidas extends numerous benefits to its holders, including stake and voice within the ecosystem, private and certain commercial IP rights for their ALT, access to 3D files and ALT artworks, the ability to customize their ALTS with virtual wearables, premium access to the Adidas collect website, and other perks. ALTS rarity traits further provide unique privileges such as exclusive or early access to products and IRL events. <\/p>\n \ud83e\udec0 The ALT[er] Egos: Utility \ud83e\udec0<\/p>\n There are 8 different ALT[er] Ego traits linked to a sports or lifestyle genre.<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc8e In addition to the utility available to every ALT, there will be exclusive utility and further benefits determined by your ALT[er] Ego genre. #ALTSbyadidas<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/0nv2TMoLO2<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ALTS by adidas (@altsbyadidas) April 12, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n In May 2023, Adidas surprised ALTS holders by distributing three NFTs, named Rift Valley Motel Coins, to each of them. Holders had no idea what they were for \u2014 until now. <\/p>\n These tokens serve as rewards for Adidas\u2019s season two. More than 10,550 unique ALTS owners who received these free tokens will be able to use them in the newly launched Rift Valley Motel Vending Machine. The mechanism will allow for further customization of ALTS avatars and will be live on July 4<\/a>.<\/p>\n CHAPTER 2 \u2013 COLLECT YOUR TRAITS \ud83e\ude99<\/p>\n \ud83d\udfe5 Get your coins ready, because the Rift Valley Motel Vending Machine opens on July 4th. \ud83e\uddbe pic.twitter.com\/9uo4uslEwq<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ALTS by adidas (@altsbyadidas) June 27, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n \u201cWhen you mint a PFP project or an avatar, you get it and reveal it, and you can\u2019t change anything about it,\u201d King told nft now. \u201cBut this is an interactive gamified way of being able to customize your avatar to represent the ultimate you.\u201d<\/p>\n Here are the detailed mechanics of how the coins will work:<\/p>\n ALTS! It’s time to reveal the mechanisms of the Rift Valley Motel Vending Machine. \ud83e\uddbe<\/p>\n \ud83d\udfe5 You now have time to prepare your coins. There is no rush. The machine never sleeps and will close July 25.<\/p>\n \ud83e\udde0 Use your coins wisely, and save one as you might need it throughout Chapter 2. pic.twitter.com\/UdzRhUyVPJ<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ALTS by adidas (@altsbyadidas) June 28, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n The vending machine closes on July 25 and will feature more than 90 facial traits. The brand\u2019s official Twitter will reveal nine traits every day until July 4, when the Vending Machine opens. These only represent a few of the hundreds of traits that will be revealed later in 2023.<\/p>\n It\u2019s evident that Adidas\u2019 history in Web3 is rich with collaboration and cross-collection creativity \u2014 from their first foray into Web3 to this latest endeavor. Emphasizing its community-first approach, the brand has made a notable presence at Web3 events, including NFT NYC, NFTParis, and Art Basel Miami. Here are just a few of the brands and artists Adidas has partnered with. <\/p>\n In January 2022, Adidas teamed up with Prada<\/a> to launch an NFT collection featuring user-generated art. Collectors submitted photos using a filter developed by digital artist Zach Lieberman to provide the materials needed for the unique NFTs. One thousand of the available 3,000 spots for NFT participation were reserved for owners of NFTs from Adidas\u2019 Into the Metaverse drop. The photos were then compiled by Lieberman to form a single artwork entitled Adidas for Prada re-source<\/em> that sold for 30 ETH. <\/p>\n Adidas\u2019 original NFT drop was centered around BAYC IP, but a Bored Ape still plays a major part in their current marketing endeavors. The company owns Bored Ape #8774, an Ape they\u2019ve named Indigo Herz, who serves as a central character in the storytelling of the brand. In April 2023, Three Stripes Studio introduced ALTS by Adidas, the Indigo Herz product pack, as part of the Adidas global member\u2019s week. <\/p>\n In May 2023, in collaboration with Tokenproof, Doodles, and Pharrell Williams<\/a> (Chief Brand Officer at Doodles), the brands released the \u201cPharrell Pack.\u201d This NFT pack contains digital Pharrell Williams apparel and gear from fashion brands he created or worked with, including Human Made, Adidas, Billionaire Boys Club (BBC), and Ice Cream. Each pack includes digital wearables and a token that can be redeemed for an exclusive physical piece of apparel.<\/p>\n In June 2023, Adidas announced a collaboration with\u00a0Fewocious<\/a> but has since paused the partnership in light of\u00a0sexual assault allegations\u00a0made against the Web3 artist by a former partner. Fewo\u00a0released a statement\u00a0denying the allegations, calling them \u201ccompletely untrue, dangerous, and hurtful.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOur collaboration with FEWOCiOUS has been put on hold for the time being,\u201d Adidas\u00a0announced via Discord<\/a>. \u201cWe want to thank our community for your trust and understanding.\u201d<\/p>\n Through its various collaborations and Web3 endeavors, Adidas has proven that the brand is about much more than IRL sportswear and clothing. But even in the metaverse, the team won\u2019t forget its roots. <\/p>\n \u201cWe want to make sure we stay true to the values of our brand and that everything we do has Adidas DNA,\u201d Lazarov shared.<\/p>\n As Adidas continues to explore the possibilities of the digital space, it\u2019s clear that the brand is set to redefine what a sporting community can look like in the age of Web3.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\nHow it started\u00a0<\/h2>\n
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ALTs by Adidas<\/h2>\n
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Season two of ALTs<\/h2>\n
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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/nftnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screen-Shot-2023-06-28-at-3.52.32-PM-1200x399.png\")
A history of collaborations<\/h2>\n
Prada<\/h4>\n
Bored Ape Yacht Club<\/h4>\n
![\"Indigo](\"https:\/\/nftnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Screen-Shot-2023-06-28-at-9.50.18-AM-1200x1180.png\")
Doodles<\/h4>\n
Fewocious<\/h4>\n
The future of Adidas in Web3<\/h2>\n