It's what keeps Nike ahead and Adidas chasing

Outlook Here’s some advice for Adidas: enrol some of your people at the University of Oregon.

It appears the German sportswear company is back in the game. After a torrid time last year, during which it issued two profit warnings and surrendered its number two position in the US, the company has produced a good set of numbers.

Long-serving chief executive Herbert Hainer said the 17 per cent rise in sales was broad-based but particularly good in fashion and running.

But Adidas still has an awful lot to do. Hence the educational advice. Oregon is the alma mater of Nike founder Phil Knight, and a notable recipient of his largesse.

What that has paid for is one of top college American football teams. It’s not just the facilities that attract kids to rainy Eugene. It’s the fashion. Every year Nike produces a range of colourful and creative uniforms that the top players coming out of high school want to wear.

Those uniforms – and Nike’s shoes – have what Adidas has consistently failed to produce: the wow factor.

To be considered a real rival to Nike, Adidas badly needs to find some of that wow. Eugene might be a good place to start looking.