A key part of the Adidas strategy is to penetrate those cities," said Thubron, "but you can't just do it by putting in the premiumpriced product. Adidas stands for something real and authentic. How do you achieve different price points, different SKUs for different consumers in different cities? You don't want to dumb the brand down. That is the key challenge." Thubron expects the internet to play a crucial role. "Digital is going to be critical, not just as a communication or branding vehicle, but also as sales channel. E-commerce is rising dramatically; in particular, [ecommerce site] Taobao, where 20 million people are online at any given moment. Taobao eliminates the need for a massive physical presence to be a national retailer."