"We are in the business to win," its website sums up its global view. But adidas-Salomon AG�s run in India hasn�t really been a dream come true. A decade-and-a-half in the country, a false start and a couple of embarrassments later, the German sportsgear-maker is a distant No 2 to global rival, Reebok, and is struggling to get its act together. Interestingly, India is the only market where Reebok, hogging a 43 per cent share, is ahead of adidas, which has a little under a fourth of the Rs 450-500-crore premium sportswear market.

The company, however, insists that things are about to change. Note the flurry of activities at adidas India headquarters since the beginning of the 2004-05 financial year. After keeping a low-profile for a couple of years, Rs 100-crore-plus adidas recently launched a new range of cricket shoes, the Master Blaster series, that has been developed entirely in India. Priced between Rs 3,999 and Rs 4,499, it will be sold in all major cricket markets around the world. The company also announced its intention to sponsor cricket tournaments, though no specific plans have been made so far. "Apart from cementing our position in cricket, this will also have a positive impact on the perception of the brand in India and, therefore, overall sales acceptance," the company hopes. ... more