Adidas targets children with animated Beckham ads

by Drew Barrand,, Marketing 28-Sep-04, 08:30

LONDON - Adidas is turning its attention to the lucrative children's market through a pan-European TV campaign starring an animated David Beckham -- the first time the England football captain has appeared in a cartoon.

The ads, which will run on cable and satellite channels from next month, feature Beckham alongside the classic kids' cartoon character Scooby-Doo.

The one-off campaign is Adidas' first activity since the Olympics and will continue its "Impossible is nothing" theme, which has been running all year.

The cartoon executions are the first time Adidas has targeted children. It marks a major strategy shift away from the adult, sport-savvy market that it normally targets, and reflects a trend for sports brands to tap into the growing purchasing power of younger consumers.

The ads were created in-house by pay-TV channel Cartoon Network, which is owned by Turner Broadcasting. The company also owns Hanna Barbera Studios, the creator of Scooby-Doo.

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