Kanye’s Helping Adidas Take on Nike & Under Armour

German sportswear company Adidas, trying to muscle into Nike’s home territory, plans to increase spending on marketing again after high-profile sponsorship deals and celebrity partnerships helped rekindle U.S. sales. Adidas said it would seek to build on its momentum by lifting promotional spending further in the run-up to Christmas. The world’s second-biggest sportswear firm has scored with “Yeezy” sneakers designed by Kanye West and soccer kit for Manchester United and Italian champions Juventus launched this summer after it displaced Nike as new suppliers to both teams. After slipping last year into third place in the U.S. market behind Nike and fast-growing Under Armour, Adidas has made a big push in North American sports, agreeing a partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL) and sponsorship deals with top NHL and National Football League (NFL) players.