German sporting goods giant Adidas has plans to reposition newly acquired Reebok as a performance brand. Herbert Hainer, Adidas chief executive, revealed the plans to a strategic footwear forum organised by the World Shoe Association. "There is no doubt that we will position Reebok back more to a performance brand than it has been over the last two to three years," said Hainer, speaking by satellite. "Reebok was one of the first to bring a lot of technology into the market."

Hainer maintained that Reebok and Adidas would retain their own separate brand identities. "We will keep the two brands separate, because we believe both have their own identity, heritage and consumer base." The FT reported Rob Langstaff, president of Adidas America, as saying that the sporting giant regarded Reebok as "sibling rivalry". "We want to compete at the market place...and both of us will become better as a result."

Adidas and rival Nike face the challenge of growing their brands in a mature market. Hainer said growth in the athletic footwear market would need to be generated by a combination of fashion and technology. "Innovative, technologically driven product really can make a difference in the US market. If you bring new technology, new innovative product to the market, the consumer is ready to spend the money."