Reebok move towards fitness fashion paying off

Reebok is turning to sponsorship deals with prominent fitness groups to try to revive a name that has faded since it became part of Germany's Adidas sportswear group eight years ago.

Reebok now produces training shorts, shoes and shirts for CrossFit, a fitness regime imported from the US and attracting devotees in Europe, and the the move towards fitness and fashion seems to be paying off.

When Adidas warned on its profit last month, analysts were quick to note that Reebok was, for once, not cited as a problem.

“It’s confirmation that Reebok is doing better,” said Cedric Lecasble, an analyst at investment group Raymond James.

“While it’s not really impressive yet, the strategy is more focused, and I expect Reebok will be the strongest brand in terms of sales growth in the third quarter.” – (Reuters)