Should Adidas and Nike Start to Use Scannable Authentic Badges?
- Napoli's Innovative Authentic Badge: Napoli's new 26-27 kits, designed by EA7, feature an upgraded authentic badge with an integrated NFC chip, allowing fans to easily verify the shirt's authenticity by scanning it with a smartphone.
- Limitations of Current Adidas and Nike Badges: Both Adidas and Nike currently use standard physical authentic badges that are easily replicated by counterfeiters, making it increasingly difficult for consumers to distinguish genuine products from fakes, even with replicated product codes.
- Proposed Solution for Major Brands: Given the rising sophistication of counterfeit goods, the text suggests that Adidas and Nike should seriously consider adopting NFC chip technology in their authentic badges as a pioneering solution to protect fans and combat the issue of fake merchandise.
Napoli recently launched their new 26-27 kits, featuring a commendable upgrade to their authentic badge. In a landscape where counterfeit goods are becoming increasingly sophisticated, EA7 has integrated an NFC chip into the authentic badge to help fans easily verify genuine shirts.
EA7 Napoli 26-27 Authentic Kit Badge - NFC Chip
The EA7 authentic badge designed for the Napoli kit features a silicone border. This serves the specific purpose of marking the authentic shirt to distinguish it from the standard replica version.
To enhance brand recognition and showcase meticulous care in their design, EA7 integrated an NFC chip. This technology allows fans to easily scan the badge with a smartphone camera, which then directs them to a website to verify the authenticity of the item.
This is clearly an incredibly useful move by EA7 and one that is entirely worthy for top-tier brands like Adidas and Nike to adopt.
The Current State of Nike and Adidas Badges
Both Adidas and Nike currently rely on standard physical authentic badges. While Nike uses a small fabric badge attached to the hem, Adidas utilizes a higher-end soft rubber material.
Nowadays, real and fake shirts are increasingly difficult to distinguish. Counterfeiters can easily copy the physical authentic badges, and they can even replicate the exact product codes found on authentic shirts, making visual differentiation harder than ever.
Because of this escalating issue, integrating an NFC chip directly into the authentic badge could be a pioneering solution in the coming years, and it is a technical solution that Adidas and Nike should seriously consider adopting to protect fans.
Would you like to see Adidas and Nike introduce scannable NFC chips on their authentic badges, or do you think physical badges are enough? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!