Created by independent agency 180 Amsterdam, the new campaign, which will run globally in fashion and lifestyle magazines, will show what has happened to Trimmy, an illustrated character who promoted the Trimm Trab trainer and was part of the 1976 fitness craze 'Trimm Dich', German for "get in shape".
The intervening 28 years have not been kind to Trimmy, but, in a tongue-in-cheek ad done in the style of a children's story, Trimmy is shown getting back on the road to fitness.
As the character progresses, the copy reads "Squat. Push up. Easy with those high-cut shorts Trimmy" and then "Feel the burn! Be careful... you're made of paper!"
Finally, Trimmy is back in shape except for two things -- a full head of hair, which is fixed with a marker pen, and his own pair of Trimm Trab trainers.
Tim Geoghegan, one of the creative team on the campaign at 180, said: "After 1976, Trimmy seemed to just drop off the face of the earth. It was a big mystery. But now I think we've solved it and what this ad really does is bring a sense of closure."
It is part of the "Every trefoil (the name for the Adidas leaf logo) has a story". Two other retro sneakers will be promoted in the campaign: the Titan running shoe, which dates from 1970 and has a sole inspired by the suckers on an octopus tentacle; and the Oregon shoe from the 1980s with its webbing material.
Another ad, promoting the Base Camp Puffa Jacket, spoofs a mountaineering scene from a museum with live models posing as if they are waxworks.
The campaign is running in the US, Europe and Asia Pacific in magazines including iD, Vibe and Lowdown.
"Trimm Trab", "Titan" and "Base Camp Puffa" were created by Caprice Yu and Geoghegan, with Dermot Flynn at Folio London illustrating the "Trimm Trab" ad. "Oregon" was created by Richard Bullock and Dean Maryon, and illustrated by Gez Fry, also at Folio London. Media for the campaign is by Carat International, except in the UK, where it is handled by PHD.
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