Adidas taps Kermit the Frog to star in new spots for Stan Smith sustainable shoes

It’s not easy being green, but Kermit the Frog might have better luck fronting Adidas Originals’ new campaign for its newly sustainable Stan Smith shoes. The beloved Jim Henson-created character stars alongside Smith himself in a push that includes a 60-second video, released on social channels this week. “They say every problem has a solution—you might wonder, ‘Am I too small to change this whole world, am I the only one pitching in?’” Kermit asks in the spot. “If we all do our part, we can make the world a better place, a greener place, for the next person to walk in our shoes.” The spot focuses on plants and flowers, and earth-friendly activities like picking up trash and enjoying picnics and skateboarding outside. It even includes a voice cameo from Star Wars' Yoda advising to "Do or do not--there is no try." Kermit concludes the video with his trademark line, “It’s not easy being green,” before Smith answers, “But nothing great ever is.” The Stan Smith shoes have been redesigned with sustainability in mind, part of Adidas’ commitment to the environment that includes initiatives like a recyclable running shoe and better global sourcing of materials such as cotton. Each pair of Stan Smiths have an upper made from recycled materials. Adidas recently said it plans for nine out of 10 of its products to be sustainable, either through recycled materials or meant for reuse, by 2025. The brand is focusing on e-commerce and environmental efforts as it strives to return to the black after a 16% sales decline in 2020 amid COVID-19. Johannes Leonardo, Adidas Originals’ longtime agency partner, worked on the campaign, which includes a series of recently released teasers. According to Mina Mikhael, creative director at Johannes Leonardo, the campaign was focused on winning over Gen Z shoppers. According to a survey by analytics platform First Insight last year, 62% of Gen Z and millennial shoppers prefer to buy from sustainable brands. Working through a partnership with Disney, Adidas will incorporate some aspects of Disney characters including Pixar’s WALL-E and Monsters Inc.’s Mike Wazowski into unique details on different pairs of the new Stan Smiths. Skaters Na-Kel Smith and Nora Vasconcellos, digital architect Iddris Sandu and Yara Shahidi, an actress, will join Kermit and Smith in marketing the collection.

Adidas taps Kermit the Frog to star in new spots for Stan Smith sustainable shoes

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