Decathlon

 Decathlon didn’t start as a global sports giant. In fact, it began in 1976 in Lille, France, with a simple but ambitious idea: make sport accessible to everyone. Its founder, Michel Leclercq, believed that sport should not be limited by money, experience, or social status.

From the beginning, the company focused on democratization, trying to remove every possible barrier that prevents people from being active. Instead of competing directly with brands like Nike or Adidas, it built its own internal ecosystem of products. This gave Decathlon full autonomy over how products are designed, produced, and sold.

The real turning point came when Decathlon decided to control the entire production process. This increased efficiency and allowed teams to work in close collaboration to constantly refine their products. The goal was to create equipment that feels intuitive, meaning customers can use it easily without needing instructions.

But here’s the twist: Decathlon doesn’t just sell sports equipment—it sells participation. Walking into a Decathlon store feels like entering an interactive space where you can test products and imagine yourself using them. You don’t just see a product—you experience it.

However, this model creates a paradox. While the company promotes sustainability, its success depends on producing large quantities of affordable products, which can lead to overconsumption. At the same time, Decathlon continues to invest in innovation, improving design and performance.

Another key factor is accessibility. Products are designed with high usability and strong functionality, making them suitable for beginners and experienced athletes. Every item starts as a prototype, tested and improved before reaching the market.

Finally, Decathlon continues its global expansion, trying to balance low prices with environmental responsibility. In the end, it doesn’t just sell equipment—it lowers the barrier to sport and encourages people to take part.

📘1A. Vocabulary Match A

Match the words with the correct meaning.

  1. democratization | a. A situation where two opposite ideas seem true
  2. barrier | b. The ability to work independently and make decisions
  3. ecosystem | c. Working together with others toward a shared goal
  4. autonomy | d. A system where different parts are connected and interact
  5. efficiency | e. An obstacle that prevents progress or access
  6. collaboration | f. Using minimal resources to achieve maximum results
  7. refine | g. To improve something step by step
  8. intuitive | h. Easy to understand without needing instructions
  9. paradox | i. Making something available to everyone

📘 1B. Vocabulary Match B

  1. overconsumption | a. The ability to use something easily
  2. innovation | b. Producing more than is necessary
  3. accessibility | c. A new idea or method
  4. usability | d. Expanding into new markets
  5. functionality | e. Being practical and effective
  6. prototype | f. Long-term environmental responsibility
  7. expansion | g. A first version used for testing
  8. sustainability | h. The quality of being easy to reach or obtain

3. Synonym Match

Match the word with a synonym.

  1. democratization | a. independence
  2. barrier | b. contradiction
  3. autonomy | c. mass access
  4. efficiency | d. obstacle
  5. refine | e. improve
  6. intuitive | f. natural
  7. paradox | g. productivity
  8. innovation | h. invention
  9. expansion | i. growth

4. Understanding the Case

Discuss in pairs.

Why did Decathlon choose accessibility over prestige?
How does controlling its own ecosystem give it an advantage?
Why do customers enjoy testing products before buying them?
Is there a contradiction between sustainability and mass production?

5. Brand Success Discussion

Brand | Known for
Decathlon | accessibility and affordability
Nike | strong branding and athlete marketing
Adidas | design and global influence
Patagonia | sustainability and ethics

Discussion Questions:

Which brand would you choose and why?
Which brand strategy is the smartest?
Which brand creates the strongest emotional connection?
Can affordable brands compete with premium brands?

6. Creative Marketing Challenge

Choose a simple or “boring” sports product:

water bottle
gym towel
basic t-shirt
tennis balls

Create a new concept:

Brand name
Visual style
Slogan
Marketing idea
Target audience

Present your idea to the class.

7. Role Play: Customer from Hell

One student = extremely difficult customer

They must:
complain constantly
be negative and dramatic

Employee must:
stay calm
solve the problem
protect the brand image

Scenarios:

The Broken Product:
“This product stopped working after one use—this is unacceptable!”

The Price Complaint:
“How can it be this cheap? I don’t trust the quality at all!”

The Comparison Attack:
“I can get something better from Nike—why should I buy this?”

The Refund Demand:
“I want a full refund immediately. This is a waste of money!”

8. Debate

One group agrees, the other disagrees.

Cheap products encourage overconsumption
Expensive brands are just marketing
Everyone should practice sport regularly
Sustainability is mostly marketing
Testing products in-store is unnecessary
Owning less equipment makes you more creative

9. Ranking Activity

Rank from 1 (most important) to 5 (least important):

Price
Quality
Innovation
Brand image
Sustainability

Explain your answers.

10. Slogan Creation

Create slogans for Decathlon:

Neutral
Motivational
Luxury
Humorous
Minimalist

11. Fill in the blanks

  1. Decathlon tries to remove all to sport participation.
  2. The company has full over production.
  3. Products are designed to feel natural and .
  4. Engineers constantly products to improve them.
  5. Producing too much leads to .
  6. A surprising contradiction is called a .
  7. A test version of a product is called a .
  8. Expanding into new markets is called .

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