From Legacy to Global Impact: Behind the Bob Marley Partnership

Following the public announcement of the partnership between the Bob Marley Foundation and adidas, we can now share our perspective on the collaboration and the strategic thinking that shaped this unique release. This moment has drawn significant attention, and it allows us to share the role the B2S Group played in advising and brokering this partnership.

From the outset, this was never treated as a conventional brand collaboration. The Bob Marley legacy carries cultural, social, and historical weight. Any partnership connected to it must be built on respect, long-term relevance, and a deep understanding of what the name represents globally. Our responsibility as the B2S Group was to help translate that legacy into a contemporary partnership without compromising its meaning.

A central part of our advisory work focused on positioning. The objective was not to maximize short-term exposure but to ensure that the collaboration would feel authentic, rooted, and credible across cultures. That meant anchoring the narrative in values rather than products and in cultural expression.

Jamaica, as well as Jamaican culture and music, plays a defining role in the partnership. Jamaica is positioned as a cultural anchor, where football, music, and Bob Marley’s vision of freedom and togetherness intersect. Football, music, and Jamaica come together as interconnected cultural forces, with Bob Marley’s vision acting as the unifying thread. The new collection draws inspiration from Bob Marley’s legacy and is presented jointly by adidas and the Bob Marley Foundation, reinforcing the cultural and institutional foundations behind the collaboration. This approach allows the story to resonate well beyond sport and speaks to a global audience that connects with Jamaica’s cultural influence and Bob Marley’s message.

Cedella Marley was closely involved throughout the process and played an important role in shaping the direction and boundaries of the partnership. Her perspective ensured that every decision remained aligned with the values of the Marley family and the mission of the Foundation. The Bob Marley Foundation is a Jamaican non-profit organization that continues to honour the life and legacy of Bob Marley through community upliftment initiatives focusing on education, sports, culture, healthcare, and sustainable development. The Foundation’s vision is to positively make an impact and alleviate poverty by providing aid to vulnerable and underserved communities throughout Jamaica while enacting lasting change. Most recently, the Foundation was instrumental in supporting affected communities and families following the devastation caused by hurricane Melissa in 2025. Therefore, cultural integrity was treated as a non-negotiable, and commercial considerations were always evaluated in that context.

Importantly, the Bob Marley Foundation has been a long-term supporter of the Jamaica Football Federation, with a sustained commitment to Jamaican football that predates this partnership. That existing involvement and credibility within Jamaican sport formed a natural foundation for the collaboration and reinforced the importance of cultural continuity.

The B2S Group acted as strategic advisors and brokers for the Marley family. Our work spanned partner alignment, strategic positioning, deal structuring, and the protection of intellectual property and legacy. 

Now that the partnership is public, it stands as a reference case for how cultural legacies can be activated responsibly. It shows that when values, leadership, and strategy are aligned, attention can be generated without sacrificing meaning. For us, this project reflects exactly where we operate: at the intersection of business, sport, authenticity, and long-term value creation.

We are proud of the trust placed in us by the Marley family and the Bob Marley Foundation and we look forward to seeing how this partnership continues to evolve and create impact worldwide.