adidas is no stranger to bridging sport and style, but with the launch of the adidas Z.N.E. FW25 collection, the brand did something a little different. Through an immersive event held over the Berlin Marathon weekend, it shifted the conversation slightly away from athletes and performance gear and toward something bigger: community, connection, and the cultural role of sport in 2025.
The campaign’s core message, “A Team Way of Life,” served as a much needed reminder that, in many ways, marathon running is a team sport. That it’s as much about the collective running alongside one another as it is hearing the cheers from the sidelines; that those who bring the mood, the energy, the screams of support are a fundamental part of the team, too.
While sportswear has always carried undertones of belonging, the adidas Z.N.E. event put it front and center. It extended the conversation beyond personal bests and training schedules and made space for everyone, whether they were running 42km through the German capital that weekend or not. It created space — physically and metaphorically — for team spirit.
In the adidas Sportsbase, the brand unveiled a location for hanging out, having fun, and connecting with one another; a venue in which everyone could create and share marathon moments. It was divided up into sections, each element designed for focus, motivation, creating off-duty bonds, and cultivating team spirit. There was a writing wall where people were invited to answer prompts like “What clears your mind?” and “What cheers you up?” They were also asked to share affirmations, words of motivation and advice for themselves and for their team mates, and they delivered: “Race day is here, make sure you celebrate, you got this!,” wrote one person. “Hearing the crowd cheering makes me feel unstoppable,” and “I am proud of you,” wrote others.
There was also a typewriting area where you could write out longer thoughts and tape them to the wall, and a picture area for taking selfies, which you could then turn into personalized banners so marathon runners could really see who was supporting them from the sidelines. There was also a cozy chill out area, and areas of play; a Mario Kart station to trigger friendly competition, and chess and backgammon stations to test focus and strategy.
The space took its decor inspo from the star of the FW25 adidas Z.N.E. collection — a deep plum tracksuit — and used that shade to as a way to connect the collection to the community in a way that felt natural and positive. The tracksuit is a bold statement piece; the colorway channels power and team unity, and inspires creativity, allowing you to style it in whatever way speaks the most to you. Using such a confident color across the Sportsbase really solidified the meaning of the day, and left everyone feeling like they’d been part of something bigger than the marathon itself.
The adidas Z.N.E. FW25 collection is available to shop now. Join the team.
