Vicky Free
Head of Global Marketing
adidas
Since taking the helm as Head of Global Marketing at adidas, Vicky Free has overseen an exciting time for the brand. From building a fully integrated, world-class marketing team to launching campaigns that have inspired real world change, Free is focused on building a purpose driven brand that matches storytelling with story doing.
This year, adidas announced it was making its biggest ever commitment to women, addressing the most pressing challenges that prevent them from staying in sports.
The Impossible is Nothing brand campaign spotlighted the stories of a diverse collective of athletes, with the hope that audiences see people who look like them, or who have had experiences like them.
In SS22, adidas unveiled its most extensive and inclusive collection of sports bras ever, helping more women experience sport without restraint. The campaign was launched with a bold image that demonstrated the diversity in women’s breasts and the need for tailored support, while inspiring meaningful conversation around inclusivity in sport.
To ensure all bodies have performance wear for the water and feel comfortable swimming in public, the brand launched its first Full-Cover Swimwear Collection and created the world’s first swimmable billboard, which picked up an Outdoor Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Lions festival.
adidas was the first major sportswear brand to launch period proof tights, designed to keep more menstruators in sport. Alongside this, the brand developed and distributed a free PE(RIOD) Lesson Plan, used by schools and sports clubs globally to tackle the education deficit around periods in sport.
Additionally, Free remains committed to supporting adidas’ long-term ambition to help end plastic waste. This summer saw the adidas’ fifth annual Run for the Oceans event take place, with over 6.7million people taking part globally. With minutes of activity logged translating into plastic waste removed, adidas and Parley will clean up 25 million plastic bottles from our beaches and islands.
Vicky Free