How Athletic Brands Are Using Super Bowl 54 to Promote Sustainability

Ella Chochrek
·3 min read

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Adidas and Saucony are both using Super Bowl 54 as an opportunity to further their sustainability initiatives.

This year marks the first time Saucony has ever put out a Super Bowl commercial, and the brand is using its ad spot to debut another first: the debut biodegradable shoe.

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In its ad, the Boston-based running shoe staple announces the launch of a biodegradable lifestyle shoe as part of its Originals line. The shoe will be made with natural materials and renewable resources, and the production line will minimize its use of electricity. The new collection is part of Saucony’s ongoing sustainability platform, “Run for Good,” which has already created a vegan shoe collection and a sustainably made spring ’20 apparel line.

The brand has also taken an eco-friendly approach to the ad itself. The majority of product featured in the campaign was created using computer-generated images, and all real shoes used were donated to the Boston Rescue Mission.

“We think constantly about the impact our products have on our consumers,” stated Shawn Hoy, Saucony’s VP of global product. “Now, we are focusing on our impact on the planet. As an industry, we must do better. As a brand, we must do better. This project is a critical first step in our journey to do better and be better.”

Meanwhile, Adidas is using Super Bowl 54 to take a stance against plastic waste in conjunction with long-term partner Parley for the Ocean. The brand today announced the opening of its first sustainable footwear field, made from around 1.8 million recycled plastic bottles, at Miami Edison High School in Super Bowl 54’s host city. To kick off the opening of the new field, the Three Stripes will host a seven-on-seven football tournament for high school students, who will play in cleats and uniforms made from recycled plastic.

Adidas and Parley, a nonprofit that works to prevent the destruction of oceans, first teamed up in 2016. They have produced millions of pairs of sneakers from upcycled plastic waste.

Sustainability has become more of a focus for footwear firms in recent years, while an increasing number of consumers are actively seeking out environmentally friendly products. In a 2019 study from CGS, more than one-third of respondents said they were willing to pay up to 25% more for items that were eco-friendly. Of 1,000 respondents ages 18 and up, 70% said they considered the environment an “important” factor to take into account when making a purchase.

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