The History of Reebok Shoes

While raw talent and hard work make up the majority of a good athlete, quality sporting equipment makes up the rest of the equation. Reebok has been providing athletes with quality goods since 1895, when it began with running shoes. Since that time Reebok has changed owners, expanded their brand and made some key partnerships, all while still providing athletes with quality products.

J.W. Foster and Sons

Reebok was formed from a company in the UK, that was started by Joseph William Foster. Foster is credited with making some of the first running shoes that had spikes attached to their soles to help runners shave down their times. Foster's company, J.W. Foster and Sons, was in business by 1895, making running shoes for some of the top runners at the time, all by hand. His shoes were even worn by athletes competing in the 1924 Summer Games and being celebrated in the film "Chariots of Fire."

Reebok

Two of Joseph William Foster's grandsons started a company that they named after an African gazelle, Reebok. Reebok shoes became one of the most expensive running shoes sold in the U.S., at $60 a pair, after being noticed by Paul Fireman, a partner of an outdoor sporting goods distributor at a trade show. Fireman released three running shoes into the U.S. market after negotiating the distribution license.

Explosive Growth

1982 marked the year that the first athletic shoe designed with women in mind was introduced to the market by Reebok. The shoe was called the Freestyle, and it was designed for the latest exercise craze, aerobic dance. Reebok's sales had already surpassed the $1.5 million point when the Freestyle caused the company to explode. Reebok rode the wave of popularity by continuing to introduce new products and becoming a leader in their industry. In 1985 Reebok went public and then in 1986 they bought The Rockport Company, a leader in the development of comfortable casual and dress shoes. Reebok invaded the international market in the late 1980s and is currently sold in over 170 countries.

Partnering

Reebok shifted from a focusing solely on exercise to a company focused on exercise as well as sports in 1992, when they created new clothing and shoes designed for all different types of sports. The Greg Norman Collection was also birthed in 1992 when the golfer partnered with Reebok. Greg Norman was just the beginning though, as Reebok continued to partner with top athletes in the late 1990s.

Recently

In 2000 Reebok partnered up with the NFL. According to the corporate Reebok website, "The license includes on-field uniforms, sideline apparel, practice apparel and an NFL-branded footwear and apparel collection." Reebok went on to partner with the NBA, WNBA and the NBDL, gaining the exclusive right to provide all on-court apparel. 2002 marked the year when Reebok designed clothing and shoes inspired by street fashion, these items were launched as the Rbk collection. In 2003 Jay-Z and Reebok partnered to create the S. Carter Collection by Rbk. In 2004 Reebok acquired The Hockey Company, snagging an agreement that gives them the exclusive rights to

make all on-ice jerseys for all the NHL teams. The marketing campaign, "I Am What I Am," in 2005, which encouraged youth to appreciate their individuality, and featured many celebrities. Reebok was acquired by Adidas in 2006, and Paul Fireman, the CEO, left the company, allowing for Paul Harrington to become President and CEO of Reebok. The "Your Move" marketing campaign was launched in 2008, and set Reebok apart from other sporting goods manufacturers as a company that celebrates individuality.

Drivers of Globalization The media and almost every book on globalization and international business speak about different drivers of globalization and they can basically be separated into five different groups: 1) Technological drivers Technology shaped and set the foundation for modern globalization. Innovations in the transportation technology revolutionized the industry. The most important developments among these are the commercial jet aircraft and the concept of containerisation in the late 1970s and 1980s. Inventions in the area of microprocessors and telecommunications enabled highly effective computing and communication at a low-cost level. Finally the rapid 1 growth of the Internet is the latest technological driver that created global ebusiness and e-commerce. 2) Political drivers Liberalized trading rules and deregulated markets lead to lowered tariffs and allowed foreign direct investments in almost all over the world. The institution of GATT (General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade) 1947 and the WTO (World Trade Organization) 1995 as well as the ongoing opening and privatization in Eastern Europe are only some examples of latest developments. 3) Market drivers As domestic markets become more and more saturated, the opportunities for growth are limited and global expanding is a way most organizations choose to overcome this situation. Common customer needs and the opportunity to use global marketing channels and transfer marketing to some extent are also incentives to choose internationalization. (Ferrier, 2004) 4) Cost drivers Sourcing efficiency and costs vary from country to country and global firms can take advantage of this fact. Other cost drivers to globalization are the opportunity to build global scale economies and the high product development costs nowadays. (Ferrier, 2004) 5) Competitive drivers As we know the domestic market become more and more saturated. The opportunities for growt With the global market, global inter-firm competition increases and organizations are forced to play international. Strong interdependences among countries and high twoway trades and FDI actions also support this driver.

NIKE VS. REEBOK A BATTLE FOR HEARTS, MINDS & FEET ...

Difference between Reebok and Nike

Reebok and Nike are two of the most recognizable sports equipment brands around, and you would be hard pressed to find anyone in the world who hasn't heard of one or both of these brands. Each one does have its own strengths and weaknesses of course, and these are precisely the subjects of this revealing comparison article.

Photo by dizznan

Photo by bbaunach

Reebok and Nike Fit

Nike has a reputation for producing some of the most balanced athletic shoes on the market and while the company has done its bit to uphold this reputation, it has also been guilty of resorting to over eager advertising at times. In any case, while Nike shoes are generally suitable for running and walking, many of its models tend towards the wide side and may even be pressed out of shape during use. This isn't much of a problem when the shoes are used only for walking, but they may be a source of concern for those using them for running. Loose fitting shoes or ones that get bent out of shape may cause the wearer to stumble and fall or they may cause painful blisters. Reebok shoes on the other hand tend to fit a lot better, provided you buy the correct size. Reebok shoes generally offer a better solution for running and walking, since the shoe offers a snug fit that still provides adequate protection.

Reebok and Nike Support

One of the most important aspects of athletic shoe design is support and while Reebok does provide adequate support (at least initially; more on this later), we would have to give the advantage to Nike. Most Nike shoes provide great support and will actually give you a bit of bounce. Not too much mind you, but just enough to save your back from a bit of wear and tear. Reeboks do have passable arch support at the start, but this tends to diminish after a few uses. That being said, Reebok does offer better support than any other shoe out there with the exception of Nike, although the extra support advantage that Nike gives you is certainly nice to have.

Reebok and Nike Durability

This is where Nike drops the ball a bit. For all the superior support it provides, Nike shoes tend to fall apart fairly quickly under heavy use. Even just a few miles of running everyday is enough to make them quickly turn into mush. Reeboks on the other hand hold up remarkably well to rugged use, and it seems that they are almost indestructible. Clearly Reebok is the winner in terms of ruggedness and durability.

Summary
Reebok

The winner in terms of ruggedness and durability Tend to fit a lot better

Offers a snug fit that still provides adequate protection Nike Tends to fall apart fairly quickly under heavy use Has a reputation for producing some of the most balanced athletic shoes on the market Many of its models tend towards the wide side and may even be pressed out of shape during use

Reebok and Vulcabras Form Joint Venture in Brazil

Corporate news announcement processed and transmitted by Hugin ASA. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Reebok and Vulcabras Form Joint Venture in Brazil Canton, Massachusetts, March 25, 2008 - The adidas Group and Vulcabras S.A. today announced that they have agreed to form a joint venture company to conduct the distribution of Reebok footwear, apparel and accessories in Brazil and Paraguay. Consequently, the 2008 currency-neutral sales guidance for the Reebok segment has been raised to mid- to high-single-digit from low- to mid-single-digit. All other guidance for the adidas Group as provided on March 5, 2008 remains unchanged. Under the terms of the agreement, Pedro Grendene Bartelle will be the President and the Chairman of the new joint venture company, which will be governed by a board of directors to be comprised of Reebok and Vulcabras executives. The joint venture company will commence operations on April 1, 2008. Financial results of the joint venture are planned to be fully consolidated within the adidas Group as of April 1, 2008. The joint venture agreement expires at the end of 2015. Since 1992, Vulcabras has been the exclusive and independent distributor as well as a licensee of Reebok footwear and apparel products in Brazil and Paraguay. Vulcabras will continue to supply Reebok products to the joint venture company. The transaction is subject to regulatory review in Brazil. Financial

details of the transaction will be kept confidential. Reebok and Vulcabras are also in negotiations to form a joint venture company in Argentina where a Vulcabras subsidiary has been the exclusive distributor of Reebok footwear and apparel since 2004. About the adidas Group The adidas Group is one of the global leaders within the sporting goods industry, offering a broad range of products around three core segments such as adidas, Reebok and TaylorMade-adidas Golf. Headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Germany, the Group has more than 31,000 employees and sales of 10.3 billion. About Reebok Reebok International Ltd., headquartered in Canton, Massachusetts, is a leading worldwide designer, marketer and distributor of sports, fitness and casual footwear, apparel and equipment. A subsidiary of the adidas Group, the company operates under the multiple divisions of the Reebok brand, Reebok-CCM Hockey and the Sports Licensed Division. For more information, visit Reebok at www.reebok.com/corporate. About Vulcabras Based in Jundiai, Brazil, Vulcabras S.A. is a holding company that by way of subsidiaries develops, manufactures and distributes footwear and apparel. Vulcabras produces most of its products at its plants located in Ceara, Bahia, Sergipe and Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil and Coronel Surez in Argentina. Vulcabras is the biggest Brazilian shoe manufacturer and distributor, has more than 30,000 employees and its gross sales last year totaled US$1.1 billion.

Reebok Footwear forms joint venture with Vulcabras

June 04, 2008 (Argentina) The adidas Group and Vulcabras S.A. today announced that they have agreed to form a joint venture company to conduct the distribution of Reebok footwear, apparel and accessories in Argentina. This transaction, however, does not affect sales and profitability expectations for the Reebok segment in 2008. The joint venture company will commence operations on June 2, 2008. Consequently, financial results of the joint venture will be fully consolidated within the adidas Group as of June 1, 2008. The joint venture agreement expires at the end of 2015. VDA Calzados y Articulos Deportivos S.A, a subsidiary of Vulcabras S.A., has been the exclusive and independent distributor as well as a licensee of Reebok footwear and apparel products in Argentina since 2004. As part of the agreement, Vulcabras will continue to supply Reebok products to the joint venture company. The transaction is subject to regulatory review in Argentina. Financial details of the transaction will be kept

confidential.

Addidas Group