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This weekend, on November 6, 2011, millions of people from across the globe came together to either view or take part in one of the world's largest running events: The ING New York City Marathon. For professional runners, the ING Marathon attributes to somewhat of a "walk in the park," although you would never venture such a guess given their lighting-fast speed. On the other hand, for many of the sport's avid enthusiasts, participating in this 26.2 mile race stands not only as the ultimate test of physical endurance and mental strength, but also as a potentially life-changing event. Indeed, numerous people holding a wide range of skill sets devote entire months to strenuous preparatory training, endure painful race-day blisters and cramps, and fight their way through the ever-famous "Marathon Wall" - all for the sense of accomplishment that can come from completing a marathon. Consequently, it should seem only natural that organizations tied to the sport of running would desire to align themselves with such an well-known, intensely emotional race.
This weekend, on November 6, 2011, millions of people from across the globe came together to either view or take part in one of the world's largest running events: The ING New York City Marathon. For professional runners, the ING Marathon attributes to somewhat of a "walk in the park," although you would never venture such a guess given their lighting-fast speed. On the other hand, for many of the sport's avid enthusiasts, participating in this 26.2 mile race stands not only as the ultimate test of physical endurance and mental strength, but also as a potentially life-changing event. Indeed, numerous people holding a wide range of skill sets devote entire months to strenuous preparatory training, endure painful race-day blisters and cramps, and fight their way through the ever-famous "Marathon Wall" - all for the sense of accomplishment that can come from completing a marathon. Consequently, it should seem only natural that organizations tied to the sport of running would desire to align themselves with such an well-known, intensely emotional race.
Support Your Marathoner
Making its debut in the 2010 NYC Marathon, Support Your Marathoner innovatively combines Social Media and online content with the age old success of billboard advertising. With the help of Vitro, an ad agency who has created many remarkable campaigns for such companies as Kyocera, Lysol, and Intel, Asics aligned its running brand with the intimate nature of completing a marathon. Take a look at the video below, which highlights the key features of last year's Support Your Marathoner initiative:
At the forefront, the Support Your Marathoner campaign, with its high degree of both online and offline engagement, allows Asics to enhance its reputation as a firm committed to supplying runners with the tools they need to succeed: Quality footwear and apparel, as well as emotional support. By providing the family members of the ING Marathon's participants with the ability to "help" their loved ones complete the physically-taxing event, Asics most certainly carved out a distinct position for itself in the close-knit running community. In addition to building the firm's overall brand image, the emotion-based promotion also supplied Asics with a substantial degree of exposure. This year in particular, 46,536 runners took part in the New York City Marathon, and approximately 2 million spectators attended the event in order to cheer on their friends and family. Such a large audience in one central location represents a significant amount of ad impression opportunities, even if only a fraction of potential viewers actually witnessed the interactive billboards. Oh, before I forget, consider a few additional prospective audiences: The 300+ million people who may have seen the Support Your Marathoner messages while watching the race on T.V. or the Internet, the plethora of online users who may have stumbled upon the campaign while surfing the web, and the approximately 35,000 individuals who have seen the above video (including you and me!).
Asics Marathon Experience
As part of the company's affiliation with the ING New York City Marathon, Asics has incorporated the concept of the 26.2 mile endurance race with its new national advertising campaign: "Stop at Never." On October 31, Asics began displaying a collection of marathon exhibits in the New York City Columbus Circle Subway Station. Titled "Marathon Experience," the set of displays "speak directly to Asics' commitment to athletic excellence and technological innovation." And, to top it off, the components of the Marathon Experience program represent truly creative approaches to the sport of running, as well as corporate advertising.
Two Football Fields Worth of Running Content
To implement the Marathon Experience campaign, Asics, via assistance from Vitro (see above), CBS Outdoor, and Inwindow Outdoor, has literally taken over the Columbus Circle Station with a series of 64-foot-long visuals that comprise of interactive videos, product advertisements, and inspirational marathon content. One section of the promotion, titled "Run With Ryan," has garnered a lot of attention in the past few days. Check it out:
In addition to "Run With Ryan," the engaging advertisements in Columbus Circle also feature an exposition titled "Slices of Life," which provides an in-depth look at the many components that feed into the creation of the New York City Marathon. In particular, the display includes shots of the five boroughs the marathon runs through, the actual route of the race, an assortment of event facts, and a complete listing of each race participant. Also, the screens that depict the streets of NYC are shot through the eyes of a runner, making the Marathon Experience initiative that much more personal.
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| A shot of the Asics "Wall of Runners" |
Although not necessarily "digital" in nature, Asics has also exercised its "green thumb" via the inclusion of a visual entitled "Recycled Runner." Developed by a New York artist, Recycled Runner transforms various forms of "marathon trash" (i.e. band-aids, water cups, gel packs, shoelaces, etc.) into an eye-catching masterpiece. Take a look:
Overall, many pedestrians have expressed a positive attitude towards Asics' Marathon Experience; some have even gone so far as to consider the group of promotions as a "work of art." Given the common negativity towards corporate advertising in general, Asics should feel proud for producing such favorable sentiment for its marketing campaign.
Well, I think I may lace up my running shoes and hit the pavement for a while. The Marathon Experience intiative ends at the end of November, which leaves me with little time to train for my showdown with Ryan Hall's digital phantom at the Columbus Central Subway Station.
Andrew's Advice - Training Tips, Nutrition Notes, and Healthy Habits
Nutrition Note (November 10, 2011):
Stay on track with your nutrition regimen - "Brown Bag" your lunch.
For most of us, time is of the essence as we go about our daily routines, making it that much more difficult to choose healthy alternatives for lunch and/or dinner. All too often, the tantalizing call from "Mr. McDonald," "Ms. Wendy," or "The King" seems as a viable, time-saving meal option. However, as you (hopefully) know, purchasing and consuming fast-food can wreak havoc on your body, and essentially nullify any progress you have made through your nutrition regimen. To combat the strong pull from the drive-through, dust off your trusty 6th grade lunchbox, and make good use of it too. Spend a few minutes each morning preparing your meals for the rest of the day, and utilize Tupperware or other food containers in order to keep your food fresh and enjoyable. Or, if you find yourself strapped for time before heading off to school or work, cook an extra serving of your evening supper, and simply pack the leftovers to eat for lunch on the following day. By planning your meals in advance, you can ensure that the foods you consume align with your specific health and fitness goals, and avoid the pitfalls inherent in fast-food.
Have a fitness tip of your own? Leave a comment below, or send me a message via E-mail (snydeaab@uni.edu), Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn!
Andrew Snyder
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