When purchasing shoes for our feet we always look at the brand, to decide whether the shoes are worth buying. Lacks of a brand name or a less known brand will rarely meet the functionalities that you search for in a shoe. The sporting industry has witnessed a lot of changes in the recent past, as most of the top brands have diversified their products to cover new niche markets.
So when it comes to purchasing a shoe we entrust the health of our feet to a reputable company that has been around for years and is known for producing quality footwear. One such company is Adidas and among its many niche products, it has two unique niches that offer value to their customers and these are Adidas Neo and Superstar.
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With that in mind let us see how the Adidas superstar and Neo extension stack up, and if any of them has an edge and on what products.
| Product (Adidas Neo) | Feature | Product | Feature |
| Adidas Grand Court | Features a Mesh lining, has a cloud foam, the footbed is cushioned, Features a vulcanized midsole, and the rubber outsole offers traction | Adidas Superstar | Features a front rubber shell toe
The outsole is herringbone-patterned Has a long tongue for support and the padded collar offers comfort in the Achilles area The Lace-up offers stability |
| Adidas Crazy Chaos | The tongue and collar are cushioned for support
The midsole is made of foam for support Features contrasting stripe detail and a durable leather upper part |
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| Adidas Raleigh 9tis Mid | Features a durable leather and suede upper part, The rubber sole is vulcanized and
Looks great with casual clothing |
Adidas Neo
Adidas Neo is an extension of the Adidas group of brands, and judging from its latest expansion strategies, Adidas seems to be targeting a wider market in terms of demography. Holding the second position as a giant in sportswear manufacture, the company has to be innovative and modern. To that end, you can never go wrong with their products as you can always find a fitting shoe for your sporting needs.
What’s more is that the company through its Neo brand tends to be edgy offering a variety of products at affordable prices, targeted at the young generation. For Adidas to create an extension line means that they have studied the expenditure patterns of the youths and determined their interests. So as much as they are providing what is needed by their target market, they are also set to reap.
The company’s History
Who knew greatness could be conceived in a laundry room, well that is where the Adidas Company first began, Adolf Dassler and his brother Rudolph made shoes from the scullery but later opened the Dassler brothers shoe factory. Their target markets at the time were athletes and as time went by they made small improvements to the shoes that they produced such as incorporating the use of canvas and rubber in manufacture.
Apart from the Adidas Originals, Adidas performance and the style essentials, which all focus on niche markets? The brand also has the Adidas Neo and the superstar, with which they are focused on offering quality products, just as has been its motto over the years.
Adidas Neo most popular brands
Adidas Neo targets the young individuals, from the products below you, will discover that they do feature some stylish but classy look. Though not really made for the court and sports field most of their designs are derived from some of the Adidas sportswear, a fact that resonates with the line of style essentials.
Adidas had a clear vision of what they wanted to achieve with the Grand Court, a similar shoe would be the Stan Smith or the one that has a shell toe design at the toe box. The shoe, therefore, caters to users who want the perforations covered with the three stripes and don’t fancy the shell-toe design.
The footwear can be paired with casual outfits and its simplicity would most likely attract the younger generation. The upper lace feature keeps the foot in position inside the shoe and offers stability, the tongue and collar are well padded for comfort. The shoe is an easy slip in and out, for people who are always in a hurry, and the sock liner is cloud foam, a lightweight cushioning for comfort while enhancing mobility.
The outsole is made of rubber offering a good grip on different surfaces is versatile and comes at pocket-friendly prices.
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The Crazy chaos will not have you breaking the bank as they are quite affordable and come in a variety of colors; the versatility in appearance can suit different demographies including the youth. The shoe is comfortable especially in the Achilles area in combination with the padded tongue that offers support.
The lace-up closure gives the wearer a secure fit, and the durable outer rubber sole offers traction. The upper part of the shoe has been constructed with durable leather material, and it can, therefore, withstand the intensity of different activities. The contrasting color detail makes them versatile for use by different age groups and gender.
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The Adidas Raleigh has been made to cover a wide demographic including kids. The shoes are stylish and complement the Neo brand quite well. Apart from providing you with a durable pair of sneakers, Adidas will hand you another extra pair of laces upon purchase of the Raleigh.
The tongue is long enough for ankle support when combined with the low back; however, the cushioning on the inside might not stack up well for problem feet. The shoe also seems to run a bit narrow, and users might have to purchase a size up.
The shoe can work well with casual clothes and the outsole is vulcanized rubber, which does not weaken when in contact with water and has more grip. The latter is a good feature, especially for kid’s shoes.
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Adidas Superstar
The superstar shoe from Adidas was manufactured specifically for the basketball players, and what sets it apart from the previous model is the rubber toe feature and the full-length leather upper. Adidas was quite strategic with the Superstar because as soon as it was adopted in the basketball field by a sports star, within no time had it spilled to the public and the streets.
With that in mind, even if the shoe had been created for the specific niche market, endorsement by sports stars enabled its adoption by a larger market. Run DMC have also been instrumental in marketing the sneakers and this goes to prove the influence that celebrities have on products by making them relevant and marketable.
This should have served as a lesson for sportswear companies that are yet to embrace celebrity endorsements for their new products. Though made for professional basketballers, the shoe seems to have left the court and is more present in the streets. Overtime Adidas changed the name of the shoe to superstar II.
Its shape has been enhanced and comes in a variety of colorways complete with different themes.
The superstar shoe also comes at an affordable price, a marketing strategy that Adidas uses to reach its target market. The midsole can cater for problem feet such as the overpronated; it is versatile and can be worn with a casual outfit just like RUN DMC.
The lace-up tends to make the shoe tight when worn, you might, therefore, want to loosen it a bit for comfort. Adidas has made other variations of the shoe that come incorporated with different colors; the companies target market is wide with the superstar after becoming famous.
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Overall
The Superstar shoe by Adidas could be said to have inspired the opening up of the Adidas Neo subsidiary brand. Superstar first premiered in the basketball court and slowly became famous in the street, after the exposure by RUN DMC a youth music group. The sales spiked and two lessons were evident from this turn of events.
First is that celebrities greatly influence sales and the youth take up on new trends quite fast. The Adidas Neo products are a version of the professional shoes but fully applicable to a casual style than in the professional tracks, or courts.
If you haven’t realized, Adidas in its Neo collection offers some of the most affordable but good quality products. There focus in the extension line are the youth and the company is aware of their expenditure, that is, how much they are willing to part with for a nice pair of trending footwear.
From the lessons learned via the Superstar brand, Adidas Neo has sought teen celebrities (Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez) as their brand ambassadors to give the Neo line the necessary push among the teens.
The two brands each stack up well, however, they focus on two diverse markets, as the superstar is both a sports shoe as well as casual, whereas the Neo mainly targets the youth but incorporates the marketing strategies that made the Superstar relevant. Adidas Neo products are derived from the Original Adidas line of products.