In her latest blog, Rebecca Harris heaps praise on adidas and its continued cultural relevance.
This blog was sparked by the upcoming collaboration between adidas and Molly-Mae Hague – a partnership that has already generated plenty of conversation (and some hysteria!) even before launch. It’s not the first successful partnership for adidas – there’s been many, including Bad Bunny, Wales Bonner and Pharrell.
Beyond the headlines, it raises a more interesting question: how do established brands consistently choose cultural moments and partners that feel relevant rather than reactive? The answer, more often than not, sits with insight.
Cultural relevance is often framed as a by-product instinctiveness or creativity. In reality, brands that stay relevant do so because they understand people. How attitudes are shifting, how behaviours are changing, and what those changes mean commercially. adidas is a strong example of a brand using market research and insight to move with culture, not chase it.
Insight Comes Before Action
Of course, adidas didn’t move into culture and streetwear just because it was fashionable to do so. It did so because insight showed that consumers no longer separate sport, lifestyle, and identity in the way they once did.
Understanding this shift gave adidas a clear direction: performance still matters, but relevance now depends on how sport fits into everyday life. That clarity allows the brand to act with purpose rather than react to trends.
Market Research Reduces Risk
Cultural change creates opportunity, but it also introduces risk, especially for established brands. Market research plays a critical role in reducing that risk by replacing assumption with evidence.
For adidas, insight supports decisions about brand stretch, audience focus, and tone. It helps answer practical questions: where can the brand credibly show up, what feels authentic to consumers, and what would feel forced?
Relevance Comes From Resonance, Not Reach
adidas’ partnerships and cultural activity work well because they align with what its audience already values. These decisions are less about visibility and more about relevance. This is where research matters most. Understanding influence, credibility, and cultural meaning ensures brands invest in activity that resonates, not just activity that’s “loud”.
The Mustard View
At Mustard, we see cultural relevance as the result of good decision-making, not creative guesswork. adidas demonstrates how market research can inform long-term brand direction, guide confident evolution, and keep relevance grounded in reality.
The takeaway is simple: brands don’t stay relevant by moving faster. They stay relevant by understanding more.