Adidas announced its earnings results today (May 3, 2019) and in connection with the results, CEO Kasper Rorsted visited CNBC’s
“Squawk Box Europe ” program where he weighed in on the company’s positive results.
Commenting on Adidas collaborators Beyoncé and Kanye West and , Rorsted stated, “And then in addition of course with the signing of Beyoncé along with Kanye West we believe we have a dream team.” He added “Beyoncé is the most influential female in the world. She’ll be a great addition to our company.”
In a press release, Adidas noted the Beyoncé announcement alone drove “over one billion media impressions and strong positive reactions across social channels.” On its earnings announcement, Adidas also noted Beyoncé’s collaborative collection would launch some time in fall 2019.
Rorsted was also was asked about Kanye West and the impact of his controversial statements on the brand. Pushing back on the description of West as a “dual-edge sword” because of his controversial political views, Rorsted stated, “I know Kanye quite well. He’s a fantastic creator for us. He has his own opinions, we don’t always sustain to his opinions, but it’s no doubt, for both sides it’s been a great relationship. And overall bigger picture we’ve been super happy with that relationship.
“We don’t always subscribe to every opinion he has, but it’s not something I worry about when I wake up in the morning. He’s been a great addition to our brand, not only in the U.S., but in China, but in Russia and Latin America. These celebrities are global brands along with Manchester United and Real Madrid and Munich.”
Check out the interview below.