In 1948, Adidas founder Adi Dassler faced a problem: he needed a logo for his fledgling sportswear company but lacked the cash to buy one. Enter Finnish businessman Karhu Sports, which owned the rights to the now-iconic three-stripe design. In a deal that sounds like a pub bet gone right, Dassler traded two bottles of whisky and the equivalent of €1,600 (adjusted for inflation) for the stripes. Today, those stripes are worth billions—proving that sometimes the best investments come in glass bottles.
The story begins post-World War II, as Dassler split from his brother Rudolf (founder of Puma) to launch Adidas. Needing a distinctive mark, he approached Karhu, which had used three stripes on its athletic shoes since the 1920s. Karhu, unaware of the stripes’ future value, agreed to sell the trademark. The exact whisky brand remains a mystery, but historians speculate it was local Finnish liquor—a small price for a symbol now stitched onto jerseys, sneakers, and even space suits.
By 1952, Adidas had skyrocketed in popularity, and Dassler wisely renegotiated the deal, buying full rights to the stripes for additional cash. Karhu, content with the payout, moved to a new logo. Meanwhile, the three stripes became synonymous with athletic excellence, worn by Olympians and World Cup champions. Not bad for a transaction that started with a handshake and a hangover.
Why didn’t Karhu foresee the stripes’ potential? In the 1940s, sportswear branding was an afterthought. Logos mattered less than functionality, and Karhu focused on hockey equipment, not global domination. The company likely saw the stripes as decorative, not a billion-dollar asset. Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20—especially when you’ve traded a logo for liquor.
The three stripes’ journey from Finnish footwear to Adidas’ crown jewel wasn’t smooth. Legal battles erupted as competitors copied the design, prompting Adidas to sue over 50 times by the 1980s. Courts eventually ruled the stripes too generic for trademark protection, forcing Adidas to add its name alongside them. Yet, the logo endured, becoming one of the most recognizable in the world.
So, next time you lace up a pair of Adidas sneakers, remember: those stripes were once bartered for booze. It’s a reminder that even the mightiest brands start with humble deals—and that you should never underestimate the power of a good logo. Or whisky. Cheers to that.
