Asics: ASICS RYAN HALL TREADMILL

Credits & Description:

Type of entry: Use of Promo & Activation
Category: Use of Promotional Stunts and Live Advertising
Advertiser: ASICS AMERICA
Product/Service: ASICS
Agency: VITRO San Diego, USA

Client: ASICS AMERICA
Product: ASICS
Entrant: VITRO San Diego, USA
Type of Entry: Use of Promo & Activation
Category: Use of Promotional Stunts and Live Advertising
Entrant Company : VITRO San Diego, USA
Advertising Agency : VITRO San Diego, USA

Creative Chairman: John Vitro (Vitro)
Creative Director: Kt Thayer (Vitro)
Copywriter: Dave Kuhl (Vitro)
Art Director: Will Roth (Vitro)
Production Director: Michael Berbrick (Vitro)
Production Manager: Cristi Perkins (Vitro)
Agency Producer: Mickey Strider (Vitro)
Editor: Dave Friz (Vitro)
Account Director: Michael Catanzaro (Vitro)
Account Director: Adrienne Horlick (Vitro)
Experiential Director: Marc Wilson (Vitro)
Account Supervisor: Dylan Fredrick (Vitro)
Account Executive: Anne Marie Launie (Vitro)

Describe the brief from the client:
ASICS is a longtime sponsor of the New York City Marathon, the most famous marathon in the world. Our challenge is that the race takes place in one of the most cluttered media environments on the planet. ASICS needed a way to stand out, activate their sponsorship, and communicate that they are the brand that best supports runners, athletes, and their quest for continuous improvement. The creative solution needed to directly engage running fans in New York City during race week, raise awareness of the ASICS brand, and draw news media coverage.

Promotion Development:
Our solution: the ASICS Ryan Hall Treadmill that let race fans personally experience the pace and speed of a champion marathoner. The truck-mounted ASICS treadmill only ran at one speed: the record-setting pace of America’s fastest marathoner, Ryan Hall. Using a special safety harness, contestants ran at Hall’s marathon pace (under five minutes per mile) until their legs and lungs gave out. Each participant got a video of their effort, there was a daily leaderboard and prizes for winners. Our hope was that hundreds would take part, news media would love it, and millions more would see it on TV.

Results:
Across all five boroughs of New York City, hundreds of race fans lined up to challenge the treadmill, many waiting more than an hour to test their speed and stamina. Each one of these participants left with a new understanding of how fast champion marathoners actually run. More importantly, news media went crazy for the treadmill, which was featured on CNN International, ABC News, and Runners' World. Runners posted their personal treadmill videos via social media and challenged each other to "better their best."

Relevancy to Product/Service:
ASICS is the brand that best supports runners, athletes, and their quest for continuous improvement. By using the ASICS Ryan Hall Treadmill as an open competition, we allowed runners to "better their best" by competing against each other for the day's top score, and against Ryan Hall. After failing to hold Ryan Hall's pace for even a few minutes, runners were presented with one sobering fact: Hall holds that pace for over two hours. That fact alone was enough to inspire runners to continuously improve their own speed and performance.