1936 Proves to Be A Very Good Year
The early 1930s caused some tensions among the brothers, but 1936 was a massive year for them. This was the year of the Berlin Olympics, and the brothers knew that this was their best shot at boosting the profile and popularity of their brand in some huge ways.
Wearing white Gebrüder Dassler running shoes, Jesse Owens was the star athlete of the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. Source: Sutori.com
They knew they could get German athletes wearing their shoes, but they wanted to get a big international star too. They targeted American track and field legend, Jesse Owens. Adi Dassler offered a pair of shoes to Owens, who wore them for several events in which he performed brilliantly, winning several gold medals.