The single source of truth. One voice, every language.
Layer 1 (this document) defines the global principles. Layer 2 is the local one-pager each language builds: the same principles brought to life in the target language, with real before/after examples. Layer 2 never replaces Layer 1, it applies it. A living glossary holds the fixed terms.
The adidas Running Localization Team is a one-of-a-kind in-house team built on the belief that great experiences are local by design.
We make sure that localization is deeply embedded in product, tech, and marketing from the earliest stages of development. This allows us to shape campaigns and features ahead of launch, making sure they connect naturally with users around the world.
As part of the adidas ecosystem, the adidas Running app acts as a digital coach, supporting health, movement, style, and performance while delivering a personal and inspiring experience that keeps users engaged with the brand across touchpoints.
The adidas Running app is a digital coach at the heart of the adidas sports and adiClub experience. It supports users before, during, and after each workout with personalized guidance, motivation, and meaningful performance data.
Designed to evolve with its users, the app offers adaptive training plans aligned with individual goals and progress. It motivates through virtual challenges and races, and connects users to a global community through friendly competition, leaderboards, and shared experiences.
Integrated opportunities such as raffles, rewards, points, and exclusive adidas benefits make the app an essential gateway into the adidas Runners community and the adiClub loyalty program.
As an integral part of the adidas ecosystem, the adidas Running app serves as a key channel to engage consumers across multiple touchpoints, combining health, movement, and community while keeping them connected to the adidas experience and fostering deeper, ongoing relationships with the brand.
The adidas Running tone reflects adidas brand values and running culture. It should sound like a knowledgeable coach: by your side, never barking orders.
We at adidas keep it simple. We cut through the noise and focus on what matters. Every word has intent. Every message is clear, direct, and confident. We say less, but we mean more. Because simple is powerful.
We are individual, yet inclusive. Rooted in positivity and purpose. Intentional with every word so it feels real, honest, and brings people in. We create a sense of community and belonging, without losing what makes each voice unique. Fresh, never generic. Always human.
We keep it real. Friendly, yet respectful. Conversational, never filled with jargon. We speak like we are right there next to you. Sharing, guiding, inviting. We show energy without shouting. Confidence without ego. We entice, but we do not boast.
We are optimistic. Calm. Encouraging. Always ready when needed, never demanding attention. Clear in what we say. Honest in what we mean. And always moving people forward.
Highlight progress over time. Reinforce consistency. Celebrate effort, not perfection. A number alone motivates no one, interpret it.
Total distance.
You ran further than last week.
Define how numeric values must appear according to language and locale conventions. This ensures clarity, consistency, and trust. Once correctly formatted, add context to make the number meaningful.
These principles set the direction. The linguist applies the judgement: cultural rhythm, register and the context of each string decide how they land in practice.
The universal rule first: if a message doesn't work on a small screen, it doesn't work. Beyond that, every language has its own primary challenge.
Languages and cultures differ significantly: some expand in length, others require gender agreement, different word order can affect placeholders and emphasis, and tone can vary from formal to very casual. Some markets expect minimal copy, others need more explanation. Alphabets, symbols, and writing systems can also impact design. This is why you should always adapt, not translate, based on linguistic and cultural realities.
While we aim to sound like one consistent global brand, we operate with a strong local mindset. Shape the voice to your language and culture so users feel the product speaks directly to them. The experience should feel native, personal, and culturally relevant, never like a translation.
Placeholders like {name}, {count} or {distance} carry data the linguist never sees. The sentence around them has to hold for every value, in every language. This is where literal translation breaks.
The most common real-world failures, and what causes them.
This is not about translating content. The linguist preserves meaning, clarity, usability and inclusiveness, not just words, so the experience works for everyone.
Everything so far, tone, transcreation, length, placeholders, accessibility, comes together here. What you localize falls into two families: product copy that removes friction, and marketing copy that creates connection. Read the type before you write a single word, because the same sentence can be right in one place and wrong in another.
What you localize spans UX/UI strings (product) and digital marketing content (marketing), hosted in the app, the app stores, and sometimes the web. Below, the two families and how to give each one your best.
The goal is clear, fast understanding. No friction. The user is mid-run, mid-tap, mid-decision, so every word earns its place.
All the short texts users see and interact with inside the app (buttons, labels, error messages, navigation) that guide them through the experience.
It feels natural, scans in a glance, and is never ambiguous or long.
Short updates in the app stores explaining what’s new or improved in the latest version, designed to motivate users to update.
It sparks curiosity and keeps a positive, energetic tone.
Short user communications (push notifications, in-app messages, emails) used to inform, guide, or motivate users to engage with the app.
Email accessibility matters because many of our users live with a disability, sometimes one we are not aware of. Writing accessibly reaches them, and it works for everyone: with an average reading age of around 12, we should always write inclusively.
If our emails are not accessible, adidas loses these users and creates a poor experience for them.
Emails are scanned in a Z or F pattern, and most users spend only about 10 seconds, so the action you want the user to take must be front and centre.
Email looks like infinite space, but it is not. The subject competes in a crowded inbox and the preheader is the preview right after it; together they decide whether the email is opened, and both get cut off on mobile. The subject (around 30 characters) leads with the most important word, the preheader extends it without repeating, there is one main action, and every zone makes sense on its own. Front-load meaning.
It feels like a friendly team, never an aggressive call to action, and it works for everyone, on any device, with or without assistive technology.
The goal is to inspire, motivate and create connection. Here you have more room to feel, but never more room to ramble.
Inside the Community tab, in-app fitness events where users join activities with specific goals (distance, frequency), designed to motivate participation, create a sense of achievement, and engage the community.
Titles stay short and engaging within strict limits, and may remain in English when specified. Descriptions explain how it works and motivate, very clear and mobile-first, with no long paragraphs.
The title reads like a real event; the description is understood in seconds and makes people want to join.
Small in-app promotional cards with short, impactful messages that highlight features, offers, or rewards, often linking users to other experiences (the flagship app, blog content, partners, or deeper in-app content).
Pure marketing, highly engaging, with very little space. Carry the core message only, and adapt product names using the adidas e-com references and the project brief.
Impactful and concise, never a literal translation.
Marketing visuals used in the app stores to promote the app, including short slogan-like headlines and supporting texts such as mock user names and comments, designed to attract attention and convince users to download.
This is the first impression. Keep it highly engaging and natural, with a strong value proposition. Transcreate, never translate literally, and adapt sample names and comments so they feel local.
It feels native and appealing, and builds trust instantly.
Longer-form content within the app that shares expert tips, training advice, and storytelling around sports, adidas products, campaigns, or community initiatives, designed to inform and engage.
Here readability and expertise matter most. There are no strict space limits, but optimize for mobile reading with short sentences and clear paragraphs, and adapt the structure rather than translating it.
Do not invent content, and validate any cultural addition before it ships.
Limited-time, campaign-driven in-app experiences that combine storytelling, design, and interactive content to engage users beyond standard app features.
These are hybrid: combine the clarity of product with the storytelling of marketing, always reading the visual design and the user journey as you write.
Engaging and seamless, fully part of the app.
Short videos (athlete features, community stories, campaign clips, occasional training content) designed to inspire, motivate, and engage users within the app.
Follow the specific audiovisual guidelines from this style guide, and protect timing, readability and natural spoken language above a literal match.
Great experiences are local by design.