adidas — CRM Strategy · Systems · Research

Designing a CRM people don't want to mute

Year 2025–2026
Role Sole designer
Scope Strategy · Research · Templates
Delivered to Senior leadership
536M Emails delivered in 2025 Spread across 33 programmes, each built separately and tracking its own metrics
~20% Of programmes driving most outcomes Engagement, loyalty, conversion — concentrated in a fraction of the programmes. The rest were adding volume without adding value
78% Sent to the lowest-performing phases Of all emails went to the user journey phases that performed least. High effort. Low return. At scale
01 — The problem

Designed for
the brand, not
the person

adidas had 33 email programmes running at the same time. Each owned by a different team, optimised for a different metric, and none of them connected to each other. A customer who had just made a purchase could receive a re-engagement email the same day. Someone actively comparing products might get nothing at all.

The data confirmed what users were already feeling: most of the volume was going to the moments that drove the least value. The problem wasn't too many emails. It was that the emails were designed around programmes, not people.

"You send me too many messages that say almost the same thing."

adidas user, 2025

"You only show up when I'm ready to buy, not when I'm still deciding."

adidas user, 2025
% of total volume
% of net sales
Discover
39.2M emails · €15.2M NS
Compare
35.7M emails · €17.2M NS
Decide
45.3M emails · €54.2M NS — highest value per email
Use & Enjoy
259.1M emails · €13M NS
Re-engage
156M emails · €9.9M NS

2025 Q1–Q3 — Volume vs Net Sales by journey phase

02 — The reframe

From programmes
to moments.

The shift was conceptual before it was operational. Instead of "which programme should we run?", the question became: where is this person right now — and what do they need?

33 programmes were reorganised into 5 journey phases, each with a clear user intent and a defined communication purpose. The programmes still existed — but now they lived inside a framework with a shared logic for the first time.

Discover

"Help me find what fits me and why I should sign up."

Compare

"Help me check if this is the right product, in my size, at a fair price."

Decide

"Help me complete smoothly, with the best price, no confusion."

Use & Enjoy

"Deliver what you promised, support me, and recognise my loyalty."

Re-engage

"If I drift, remind me of meaningful value — not spam."

33 programmes. 5 phases. 3 templates. Each template encodes the logic, tone, and structure of its phase — so global markets can execute without reinventing the system every time.

Templates by phase — 3 template types covering all 5 journey phases

Templates by phase — Discover/Re-engage, Decide/Convert, and Validate/Analyse, with anchor programmes for each

03 — The templates

Structure that scales

These are two of the three templates developed as part of the system — shown applied to specific programmes as proof of concept. Each template defines the structure, components, and tone for its phase. Any market team can adapt it without starting from scratch.

Template 01 — Compare & Decide

Validate /
Analyse

For the moment when someone is evaluating — browsing without buying, checking sizes, comparing options. The email surfaces what they need to feel confident: product details, social proof, size availability, and a clear path back. Not "you left something behind" — help finishing the decision.

From: showing up only when the user is already ready to buy
To: helping them feel confident they're making the right choice

Validate / Analyse template slide — full view with component callouts

Validate / Analyse template — full slide view with differentiating components

Validate / Analyse template email inside device

Email inside device — replace with video when ready

Component 01

Help on size and fit — surfaces the user's saved size and relevant fit guidance. Removes the main blocker at the comparison stage.

Component 02

Personalised content based on interest — product image, price, and availability matched to what the user actually browsed. No generic recommendations.

Component 03

Social proof — ratings and reviews positioned at the decision moment, not buried at the bottom. Reduces uncertainty without adding pressure.

Template 02 — Discover & Re-engage

Discover /
Re-engage

Two moments sharing the same underlying need: someone new who hasn't committed yet, and someone who has drifted away. Both need to feel recognised, not pressured. The template makes their loyalty status visible and replaces loss-framing with genuine value.

From: sending messages that feel generic and repetitive
To: showing recognition every time they've earned it

Discover / Re-engage template slide — full view with component callouts

Discover / Re-engage template — full slide view with differentiating components

Discover / Re-engage template email inside device

Email inside device — replace with video when ready

Component 01

Reward layer visibility — points balance, tier status, and available perks surfaced prominently. Users need to see the value they have before they can act on it.

Component 02

Hint to next step — a clear, single action that moves the user forward without overwhelming them with options. Progress framing over pressure framing.

Component 03

Positive reinforcement tone — celebrates what the user has already done rather than warning what they'll lose. Language that builds the relationship instead of leveraging fear.

04 — What changed

The reframe in practice

Before After
Structure 33 programmes, each owned in isolation, each optimised for its own metric 5 journey phases — every programme lives within a shared system
Question "Which programme should we run?" "Where is this person — and what do they need right now?"
Tone Loss-framing, pressure, urgency without value Positive reinforcement — celebrate progress, earn re-entry, never threaten
Templates Each team building from scratch, no shared language Phase templates global markets can localise — the system becomes the briefing
Measure Volume and open rates Relevance and engagement quality — CRM as a trust channel, not a volume channel
← All work Selected projects Next case → Content at the speed
of a global brand