Making a run at the big dog is tough, sometimes you get put back in your place, but sometimes you get to run alongside the big dog, and even a few times, you get to be the big dog.

Of Course, there are times when the line between big dog and little dog are blurred, In the world of footwear and apparel, this is the case. Nike is seen as the big dog, owning the market share and occupying the front of everyone’s mind. Adidas, meanwhile, is the runner up, although they boast a history and portfolio of accomplishments that would blow way any other shoe company besides the Swoosh.

But that isn’t stopping Adidas from throwing out a huge marketing campaign crossing all genres of life, and they have the star power to back it up (Katy Perry, anyone?) along with the usual suspects of sports stars under their payroll, Derrick Rose, David Beckham, etc… So if you hear from Adidas soon, that’s why.

I find it interesting that Adidas is making a big jump in the US market, already being a giant in Europe. Nike is the American Dream in shoe form, and Adidas is more of a classic import, made popular by RUN DMC. Adidas is going all in with marketing, again, a usual Nike playground, and it’s a big gamble to drop this kind of dough in Nike’s backyard. But while all of us are aware of Adidas, perhaps the push of this marketing campaign is something that pushes them past the big dog, and that kind of move is worth the risk.