Brief:

• Adidas Originals over the weekend debuted an augmented reality (AR) feature at ComplexCon in Long Beach, California, that let attendees buy sought-after shoes such as the Dragon Ball Z collaboration. To claim the sneakers, attendees needed to download the ComplexCon app that sent information on where to go to "Unlock the Drop," according to Engadget.
• After reaching the drop location, iOS or Android app users could point their smartphone cameras at AR-powered "Adidas Pick Up Spot" signs and follow instructions on how to select a size and complete the transaction. The final step was to reach a designated locker at the convention center to pick up their new shoes.
• Chris Murphy, Adidas North America's senior director of digital activation, said the AR release cut the transaction time of the sneaker drop from more than two hours to a few minutes. ComplexCon is a festival and exhibition that brings together pop culture, music, art, food, style, sports, innovation, activism and education.

Insight:

Adidas' AR-powered sneaker drop at ComplexCon may have helped to prevent a mass stampede to snap up its limited-edition sneaker models at a crowded convention hall. By automating notifications and requiring customers to activate the AR experience at designated points throughout the venue, the sneaker drop generated excitement for the promotion while giving a broader group of people a chance to buy the shoes without tripping over each other to reach the Adidas booth. As documented on social media, crowds clamored for a limited-edition pair of Nike shoes whose drop was delayed last weekend after a small riot, according to Strattosphere.

Adidas has been very active this year with mobile-related campaigns and marketing stunts that aim to create buzz through social media. Adidas Originals last month launched its P.O.D. System of sneakers with a music video on Instagram Stories that included a "Disappearing Cinema" video featuring 19-year-old rapper Curtis Roach. Adidas in August sold out of a new style of shoe featured on the "Fashion 5 Ways" Snapchat show, while rival Nike has used Instagram Stories for its React brand.

Adidas is also active on social media and has the most-shared logo on social platforms, according to a ranking by Brandwatch that placed the sportswear brand ahead of Nike, Puma and Under Armour. The Adidas logo appears in 6.5 million images shared on Twitter and Instagram each month.