JD Sports and adidas lead with local culture in their ‘SMU campaign'
JD Sports fashion and adidas' partnered for a nostalgic campaign driven by culture-first storytelling and a clear goal to connect with the region's youth through an authentic lens. This campaign brought the story closer to home.
'Our insights highlighted the strong performance of localised campaigns in the region, consistently showing deeper consumer engagement and stronger results. This reinforced the importance of crafting a narrative rooted in local culture – something that feels familiar, authentic, and relevant to our audience,' said Eugene Karasev, adidas Senior Brand Director, EMC.
As a result of this approach Mehak Nanda, Brand Marketing Manager, GMG found that, 'The campaign sparked a sense of nostalgia among younger audiences, even those who hadn't grown up in Dubai, highlighting how shared cultural aesthetics across the Middle East can create emotional connections across generations.'
The campaign rollout spanned JD's social platforms, META ads and in-store touchpoints, including digital screens and POSMs across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and Kuwait.
It targeted Gen Z and young adults (ages 13–30) in the UAE, especially those passionate about streetwear, sneaker culture, and lifestyle fashion, with a strong inclination toward brands that reflect their identity and environment. Many are digital natives who value authenticity over aspiration. The creative approach reflects that energy.
To bring the story to life, the team developed 'The Neighbourhood' – a fictional but familiar setting inspired by youth culture in the region. Shot in a heritage-style Dubai neighbourhood, the visuals capture raw textures and tones that feel culturally rooted and visually compelling. The storyline follows a local artist navigating the city in standout adidas sneakers, crossing paths with a cast of creatives who appear throughout. The campaign zeroes in on JD's exclusive styles – known as SMUs.
'The narrative was shaped by the first-hand stories and lived experiences of third culture kids – those who grew up in old Dubai, spent time in its backstreets, and witnessed the city evolve around them. This was a passion project and a localised campaign launch fuelled by memory, community, and a genuine desire to portray the region in its truest form,' says Nanda.
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Influencers were carefully selected for their connection to local communities and relevance within the adidas originals universe.
The campaign featured a mix of regional micro-influencers – from artists and athletes to fashion creatives – selected for their genuine ties to community and culture. The result was bold, energetic content that reflected the sneaker culture through the lens of music and sport as well as regional identity.
'Influencer marketing played a key role in the campaign. The cast featured a curated group of local micro-influencers – spanning music, fashion, and multisport – who are well-known within their communities. These talents were chosen not only to reflect adidas Originals' deep ties to culture and creativity but also to ensure the campaign felt grounded in the region, bringing an added layer of authenticity and local relevance to the storytelling,' said Karasev.
'We handpicked a diverse mix of talent from the local community – it wasn't about influencer reach but about authentically highlighting JD's connection to music, fashion, and art in the region. We also created some fun behind-the-scenes content, styling reels, and location shoutouts (rolling out soon!) to further amplify the community-first message,' says Nanda.
At the same time, the partnership focused on converting that awareness into sales by creating demand through impactful, locally resonant storytelling. According to Karasev, the primary goal of the campaign was to drive awareness around adidas and JD exclusives, positioning them as must-have drops within the region.
'The campaign was driven by JD's reputation for exclusive product offerings – known as SMUs – which are spotlighted through their signature 'Only at JD' callouts. These styles are central to JD's global and regional success and consistently resonate with consumers, yet there's often limited content to support them,' says Karasev.
'With both JD and adidas' growing footprint in the Middle East, this partnership presented a timely opportunity to spotlight adidas SMUs through a fresh, localised lens. The goal was to craft premium, bespoke content that not only captures the essence of both brands but also speaks directly to our regional audience. By delivering an always-on content approach across our partner's channels, the campaign reinforces the message of exclusivity while driving demand and differentiation in a highly competitive market,' said Karasev.
'Rooted in the streets of our region, it brings together adidas Originals' spirit of individuality with JD's 'King of the Streets' attitude,' says Nanda.
The campaign is currently live across all JD stores and will run until the end of June 2025. It was launched across JD's social channels, META ads and in-store platforms, including POSMs and digital screens across key regional markets – UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and Kuwait.
'While the campaign is still live and the full report is in progress. We're primarily tracking reach and sell-through as key performance indicators,' said Karasev.
As the market continues to demand deeper, more meaningful connections, this campaign suggests one thing loud and clear – when it comes to exclusivity, context is everything.
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