Popular sports brands on Instagram

This top sports brand should not be missing from our list! The US sporting goods manufacturer's Instagram account has an impressive 302 million followers. This makes Nike the second-largest corporate account after Instagram's own account. "Nikefootball" has a further 46.4 million followers, while "nikesportswear" has 7.8 million followers. Impressive figures for this top sports brand, which also has Cristiano Ronaldo, the most popular athlete on Instagram (647 million followers and rising), as its advertising face. The two have found each other.

Adidas Originals has to make do with the second-largest account. But Adidas as a whole has a lot more in store: the Instagram account "Adidasfootball" has an additional 35.2 million followers. The "Adidas" account, which is also owned by the company, has another 29.3 million. And "small" accounts such as "Adidasrunning" and "Adidastennis" add another 4 million fans to the total. Figures like these clearly show the potential that lies dormant in company accounts tailored to target groups.

Full influencer power ahead on Puma Instagram! With Rihanna, this top sports brand from Herzogenaurach has an Instagram institution (152 million followers!) as its driving force. There are also big names such as Antoine Griezmann, Dua Lipa, Neymar and many more. Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund are also part of the family and the NBA comeback – where the company primarily sponsors young players – provides a tailwind for the US market.

Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank is notorious for his rousing and megalomaniacal appearances. The Baltimore-based company also inspires on Under Armour Instagram, as the more than eight million followers of the brand founded in 1996 prove. "Underarmourlatam" has a further 1.1 million followes. The top sports brand uses strong partnerships, creative content and community building to inspire its target group worldwide and thus increase its reach.

The British company shows lifestyle photos and celebrity partners on New Balance Instagram. Following a realignment, this top sports brand is increasingly working with athletes – from baseball to running. These include the Brazilian footballer Endrick, tennis player Coco Gauff and skateboarder Tiago Lemons. New Balance also creates a strong connection to the community through storytelling and targeted collaborations.

The British company Gymshark was founded in 2012 by teenagers Lewis Morgan and Ben Francis. Less than seven years later, the manufacturer and online retailer of fitness clothing and accessories has become a social media powerhouse: Gymshark now has 7.4 million followers on Instagram, making it one of the top sports brands.

The North Face is an outdoor brand in seventh place on our list of top sports brands. Instagram collaborations such as the hashtag #NeverStopExploring and #WePlayDifferent about adventurous and courageous snowboarders and skiers are well received by the Instagram community.

Patagonia is a US company that was founded in 1973 by Yvon Chouinard and specializes in sustainable outdoor clothing. Thanks to its posts that promote awareness of the environment and sustainability, Patagonia has made it into the top 10 on the Instagram platform. With 5.4 million followes, this top sports brand is also on a par with The North Face.

Lululemon, known for high-quality sportswear, inspires its 5.1 million followers on Instagram with content on fitness, lifestyle and community. The top sports brand uses the account to strengthen its brand and customer loyalty. How does this work? Quite simply: through visually appealing posts, collaborations with influencers and authentic storytelling. Maybe there's something to learn from that.

On Reebok Instagram, the company relies on well-known brand faces such as top model Gigi Hadid, who herself has 77.6 million followers. Recently, however, it has increasingly relied on partnerships with athletes and authentic branding to motivate its community. Like all accounts on our list of top sports brands, the Adidas subsidiary also posts in English. Reebok inspires with dynamic fitness content, innovative product presentations and inspiring campaigns.