Popular sports brands on Instagram
Instagram has become a powerful marketing lever for sports brands. To put it in perspective: there are more Nike followers in the world than Germans. However, two outdoor companies have also made it into the top 10 most popular brands on Instagram.
The US sporting goods manufacturer's Instagram account has an impressive 279 million followers. This makes Nike the second-largest corporate account after Instagram's own account and has overtaken former runner-up National Geographic. "Nikefootball" has a further 45.9 million followers, while "nikesportswear" has 7.9 million followers. Impressive figures for the brand, which also has Cristiano Ronaldo, the most popular athlete on Instagram (615 million followers and rising), as its advertising face. The two have found each other.
Adidas Originals has to make do with the second-largest account. But Adidas as a whole has a lot more in store: the Instagram account "Adidasfootball" has an additional 33.8 million followers. The "Adidas" account, which is also owned by the company, has another 28.6 million. And "small" accounts such as "Adidas_de" have hundreds of thousands more fans. Figures like these clearly show the potential that lies dormant in company accounts tailored to target groups.
Full influencer power ahead on Puma Instagram! With Rihanna, the company from Herzogenaurach has an Instagram institution (152 million followers!) as its driving force. There are also big names such as Antoine Griezmann, Marco Reus, Neymar and many more. Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund are also part of the family and the NBA comeback - where the company primarily sponsors young players - provides a tailwind for the US market.
Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank is notorious for his rousing and megalomaniacal appearances. The Baltimore-based company also inspires on Under Armour Instagram, as the more than eight million followers of the brand founded in 1996 prove.
The British company shows lifestyle photos and celebrity partners on New Balance Instagram. Following a realignment, the sporting goods manufacturer is increasingly working with athletes - from baseball to running - as well as influencers with a wide reach.
The British company Gymshark was founded in 2012 by teenagers Lewis Morgan and Ben Francis. Less than seven years later, the manufacturer and online retailer of fitness clothing and accessories has become a social media powerhouse: Gymshark Instagram has 6.1 million followers.
Three outdoor brands have made it into the top 10. The North Face Instagram collaborations such as the hashtag #SheMovesMountains about adventurous and courageous female mountaineers, which The North Face pursues together with SportScheck, are well received by the Instagram community.
Patagonia is a US company that was founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard and specializes in sustainable outdoor clothing. Thanks to its posts that promote awareness of the environment and sustainability, Patagonia has made it into the top 10 on the Instagram platform.
On Reebok Instagram, the company relies on well-known brand faces such as top model Gigi Hadid, who herself has 77 million followers. Like all top 10 accounts, the Adidas subsidiary also posts in English.
Salomon SA is a renowned French sporting goods manufacturer based in Annecy that specializes primarily in winter sports. The company is known for its high-quality products and innovative sports equipment and has successfully established itself on the international market.
The online publication of sports brands is a tribute to the rhythm of the modern world, where all life takes place on social networks. And Instagram is a platform that offers online retailers of sportswear brands the opportunity to become even more popular and promote their values to an audience of millions.