Adidas Originals Highlights Emerging Artists in Superstar Push

Adidas is following up its star-studded spot for its Originals line, which challenges what it means to be a superstar, with a short film that presents the next wave of creators to the world.

The creative, rolling out today, is part of a year-long global campaign that kicked off in January to celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Superstar shoe -- the Originals' most iconic and one of its best-selling products.

The latest effort for fall and winter speaks to the brand's younger target audience more closely than the spring and summer work, said Alegra O'Hare, global senior director-brand communications for Adidas Originals.

"It really takes it to another level," said Ms. O'Hare. "We're giving people the opportunity to really create conversations around what it means to be a superstar. It sends a very powerful message [to the] younger generation. It's just a great moment to be yourself and express yourself."

Converse, another lifestyle footwear brand, pushed a similar message to consumers in its "Made By You" campaign, which broke in March. It highlighted customers' creative spirits to celebrate the 98-year-old Chuck Taylor All Star line.

Artist Pharrell Williams, who starred in Adidas' previous Superstar push, returns in the new spot. He worked with agency Johannes Leonardo to highlight five new emerging artists from the brand's core global markets including American hip-hop artists Pusha T, Russian actor and director Grigoriy Dobrygin, Japanese jewelry designer Yoon, Chinese visual artist VJ Mian, and Mexican illustrator Smith. The "Pay It Forward" approach passes the torch of superstardom to these creators who, in turn, will each recognize five more inspiring artists through social media, and so on and so forth, using the hashtag "#OriginalSuperstar."

"We started the campaign with people that the whole world acknowledges as the ultimate superstars because we needed qualified people to say that a superstar is not what they think it is," said Ferdinando Verderi, creative director at Johannes Leonardo, the agency behind the effort. "Now we want to empower the next generation and show the world there's a whole new generation of creators."